


Persephone

by lookinforsomeday



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Background Relationships, Character Death, Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Past Abuse, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:20:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 66,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28615005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookinforsomeday/pseuds/lookinforsomeday
Summary: There wasn't a single thing in the world that meant more to the Cullens than family. And they'd be damned to let anything stand in the way between the safety and happiness of one another. But what happens when the person capable of destroying what they hold so dear is the very same one who can save them? (Jasper x OC)
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Original Male Character(s), Ben Cheney/Angela Weber, Carlisle Cullen/Esme Cullen, Charlotte/Peter (Twilight), Diego/Bree Tanner, Edward Cullen/Bella Swan, Emmett Cullen/Rosalie Hale, Jasper Hale/Original Female Character(s), Riley Biers/Victoria
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	1. The Night Watch

**Seattle, Washington**

The rules were simple.

First, don't ask questions. The answers you'd find would be far worse than what was looked for. Second, don't leave the compound unless ordered otherwise. Orders were to be followed without flaw or hesitation unless you wanted to meet your maker- not the holy heavenly one. Third, yet most important of all,  _ never _ hunt outside of the designated areas. And for the love of God, don't leave any witnesses.

I mean come on, was it  _ really _ so hard to follow those three little rules? According to the echoing screams and angry orange flames bouncing off the side of an apartment building two blocks over, apparently so.

From my perch above an abandoned office tower on the west side of downtown, I watched for a moment as the bright light from the flames danced along the side of the building ahead of me. It was almost as if the untamed flame were following its own unique dance to the tragic song of fear and pain from the screaming humans below. How devastatingly poetic.

I let slip a slight growl of irritation, trying to savor my last moments of peace and solitude atop the empty building. The crime at hand would make for a long and dreadful night. From the moment I descended into the streets below, I would be consumed in handling such chaos until the perpetrator was properly dealt with and the scene cleared of evidence. It could take hours, perhaps even until sunrise depending on the severity of the crime.

_ Wonderful. _

It was my job to enforce the rules and keep my "siblings" in line. If they could even be considered as such. I did my best not to see them as anything more than strangers I was merely accountable for. It was best this way, emotional attachments only making the job more difficult. Emotions would get you killed in such a brutal world as this one. It was best to turn them off completely.

So, I did.

I saw to ensure that all commands from our leader were obeyed when he was unable to do so himself. Which was very often now, especially as our numbers began to grow outstandingly over the course of the last few weeks. However recently, I felt as if I were an underpaid babysitter to a handful of bratty, snot-nosed rugrats rather than in a position of respect and authority.

I glanced at the broken watch on my wrist, having salvaged it from a recent hunt. The glass casing that protected the delicate hands underneath having cracked in various places after I had grabbed the original owner's wrist not so gently. But it still worked, if only barely. It was the best I could find and made do with it until I came upon another that would fit my small wrist.

It was half-past eleven. I assumed I had fifteen minutes to spare before the general public took notice of the commotion and alerted the city authorities. Plenty of time to clear the scene and fix whatever chaos the morons had managed to stir up.

Of course, only after working in a quick snack first. I felt I deserved at least a little something for the annoyance it would cause me later.

I had chosen this particular building not just for the ability it gave me to keep a close watch on the underlings in my supervision, but because of the practical buffet it provided within the dirty alleyway between itself and one of the rowdiest nightclubs on this side of the city. It was a place no sane person would ever dare enter, knowing better than to set foot in the dark and closed-off space, save for those who thrived within it.

Just as one sorry old man did tonight. I had seen him once before, spotting him one night as he crouched behind a dumpster outside a popular restaurant on the touristy side of town. I had been making my rounds through the city, making sure the group I had taken to hunt were staying out of the public eye when I spotted him. I knew he had nothing but cruel intentions, with the way he ogled the passing women and children on the sidewalk, his scruffy and unkempt beard doing little to hid the sickening grin on his blistered lips.

The look would have been missed by a human if they spared only a moment's glimpse in his direction. But not by me.

It sent a thrill up my spine to have spotted him there, as the only thing having saved him weeks ago was the abundance of tourists surrounding him. Now he hunched over once again behind an overflowing dumpster, waiting for some poor soul to come stumbling out the backdoor of the club and into his waiting, clammy hands. Only this time, he would be falling into my unforgiving ones.

And as if on cue, stumbling out ungracefully from behind the club's heavy metal doors, appeared a young woman. Wearing tall stiletto heels that made her feet wobble like those of a newborn lamb, she attempted to make her way towards the brightly lit street ahead of her, arms out like a bird as if to provide herself balance.

She didn't make it far, the man stepping out from his place among the shadows to block her path with his heavy-set body. She nearly walked straight into him, her sight blinded behind the veil of her drunkenness, had he not grabbed her by the shoulders in a tight grip. Her frightened, pained gasp echoed off the cold brick walls of the alley.

I chose that moment to make my appearance.

In a single leap, I fell to the ground, landing a mere inch behind the elephantine man. He reeked of alcohol and body odor so terribly that even a human of the weakest sense of smell could have smelt him from several yards away. I paid it no mind, the smell drowned out completely by another so great it caused something inside of me to snap in the most delicious of ways.

Blood.

In only a second's time, faster than either human could see or react, I had the man pinned against the brick wall by nothing more than my hand around his throat. His stubby legs helplessly dangling inches above the ground as I held him there. It took him not a moment later to react to the event, eyes wide in shock and sudden fear.

I heard the woman behind me stifle a scream, and saw the sheer terror in her eyes as she finally processed the events that had happened in less than a moment's time. Nothing sobered a person up quicker than having the shit scared out of them. With a nod of my head to the street to the right of us she scurried out of the alleyway as fast as her clumsy feet could carry her. Once she was gone and there were no witnesses left, I turned my attention back to the man in front of me.

"Oh my... what do we have here?" I said in sheer excitement, my voice low as I grinned, always finding delight in their realization that the being who had captured them was  _ far _ from a defenseless mortal girl. If the effortless ability to lift and pin them up was enough of an indication of my unnatural strength, the burning, bright red eyes staring right at them was what always stole the show.

I knew parents always told their children not to play with their food, but where was the fun in that?

He began to panic almost instantly, his beady eyes blown wide in terror as he began to squirm yet to no avail in my hand's hold. Gibberish was all that he could manage to get out of his mouth, all ability to form a coherent word lost. I tutted at him, lifting a finger to my smirking lips.

"Shh… now, now dear. What's got your panties all in a twist, hmm?" I asked sweetly, smiling wide in my enjoyment of causing such panic, the display of my teeth causing his terror to escalate instantly at the confirmation that indeed I was  _ not  _ human. He wailed in desperation once again, his hands clawing at my pale hand in a hopeless attempt to loosen my grip. I only tightened it in response.

He choked on his own saliva, his airways moments from collapsing under the tremendous pressure of my hand. Only once his face turned the shade of a ripened tomato did I speak again, moving even closer. Never ceasing eye contact.

"I don't appreciate it when puny bastards such as you take advantage of such helpless creatures like that poor girl," I said, reaching my face upwards towards his own, the heat of his suffocating flesh radiating onto my own like an oven, the blood's aroma only growing as a result. My mouth pooled with venom.

With the quickest of movement by my other hand, I gripped tightly on the gray hair that remained on his balding head, yanking his head to the side as to expose his pudgy neck. Maintaining the closeness I had held before, I leaned into his ear, standing on my tiptoes to do so. He gasped for breaths, face now purple as his time left ticked away into the seconds.

"Go rot in hell," I whispered, before gripping his throat so tightly the bones of his neck and spine gave the most satisfying crack under the pressure. Whatever breath had trapped itself in his now dead lungs escaped in a wheeze through his clenched teeth. Dropping his body from its height above me I finally went in, tearing into the skin where the shoulder and neck met, greedily draining him dry.

Once finished I let his worthless body sag to the ground in a thud, wiping my face of any remnants of the meal. Checking his pockets for anything of value that would serve me any purpose, whether it be money or a credit card, I spared a moment to take in the sight as I stood. I scoffed, rolling my eyes in distaste at the now colorless face of such a pathetic man before lifting his body over my shoulder and tossing it into the dumpster behind me. I let the rusting metal lid drop over the bin in a loud clang.

No one spared a second thought for the bodies found in places such as this one. They were assumed to be drunkards, druggies, or gang members who had simply met their match at the bottom of another bottle or syringe. No need to file a report. It made for little effort having to be put into the disposal, which for my tightly scheduled job, was simply a bonus.

After adjusting my jacket and checking my clothes for any stains from my quick meal, I scaled my way back up the brick wall of the office building. According to the lagging watch, I had just under ten minutes to spare to get to the scene of where I was sure something just short of a massacre had occurred. Jumping across three rooftops and down to the abandoned lot where the commotion was, I barely managed to contain my rage as I assessed the scene.

It looked as though the idiots had tried to catch a meal by grabbing and throwing a small car off the road and into the lot, the fire I had seen earlier coming from the explosion of the engine upon impact with the crumbling wall of an old building. However, looking closer I saw that such a scene as this was not done out of a desire to feed, but to cause chaos.

For a sadistic thrill. Something that was not tolerated whatsoever.

I marched over to the prime suspect of such a thing, one of the newest additions to the coven and the least experienced on the scene, a scrawny blond kid named Jack.

He stood with two others over a pile of mangled limbs soaked in the wasted blood, laughing along with what one of the others must have said. I decided I would deal with the others later as I gripped the youngest boy by the shoulder, throwing him over my own which sent him crashing into the car. A dent that dwarfed the small boy in size appeared on the side of the vehicle at the force of impact. I made my way over to him slowly, the sheer look of rage on my face and the growl that emitted from my chest an explanation enough as to why I threw him, his eyes wild in fear as I approached him.

There was complete silence as the others watched from behind, their laughter dying instantly in their throats as the realization of the event at hand washed over them. The only sound heard was the crackling of the engine's fire and the distant noise of the bustling city around us.

Jack cowered against the silver frame of the car, curling into himself as I stopped before him, the shadow of my silhouette shading his face from the flames behind me. He refused a glance up, his eyes shut tight as he lifted his hands to shield his face in mock surrender.

"Please... Please!" he said, stammering as he tried to find his voice. I narrowed my eyes, reigning in my anger as I prepared to listen to whatever sorry excuse he came up with this time.

"I swear, it wasn't my fault this time! I only followed Tom over here when we heard the commotion, we can prove it! You can go check the docks, we disposed of two bodies by the old loading annex! I swear it, there'd be no mistake by the scents that it was us who left them! I learned my lesson last time," he said, his pleas racked with sobs from tears that would never shed.

I considered his plea and accusation for a moment, studying his face hard for the slightest sign of deception in his features. The last rule he broke had left a severe impact on him, judging by his current state, the fearful tremors racking through his chest a clear sign that he did not want to endure the repercussions again. I scowled at him, before turning around to look at the remaining two.

Tom, the auburn-haired boy he had vouched for, was standing the closest to us. Almost as if he wanted to reach out to his friend to help him, yet he knew far better than to interfere. His wide and shock-filled red eyes didn't look to me, rather they were glued on his friend on the ground. His eyes confirmed Jack's claim, his wide eyes a bright red that accompanied a recent feed. Behind him stood the remaining suspect, Noah.

Noah had been a part of the coven for months, being brought in not long after our creator had begun to mold me into fitting the role I now played. He knew the rules, and he followed them well. Yet the evidence left him as the only possible culprit. I growled in irritation as I came to the confirmation in my mind, the fact that he indeed was the guilty party.

"You mean to tell me that Noah, an  _ educated  _ vampire, who knows better, " I stilled my gaze on the accused party before looking back at Jack, my voice low and full of anger, "did such a thing as this?"

His swallowing of what venom had pooled in his mouth at the intensity of his fear was the only sound he made, eyes wavering as he brought them to look at me. They were bright red, just as Tom's were. He nodded in hesitation, the fear of what would come from the crime rippling through his lanky body.

In less than a second, I had turned and pinned Noah against the ground, his throat in my hand as my foot ground into his chest. He looked at me wide-eyed in surprise, as if he had been completely confident that he wouldn't be blamed, before showing his anger a moment later at the younger boy ratting him out. He roared in his frustration, though he knew better than to fight me off. Instead, he remained still, save for flailing his arms and legs in his rage like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.

He turned his face to the side to glare at Jack, who sat still in his place by the car, finding it to be the safest place far out of my rage's way. Tom had moved to a defensive crouch beside his friend in case Noah charged at them.

"You nosy little shit! I knew I should have kicked your ass to the curb when you and your pal Tommy boy came snooping! And then you turn around and blame me? Do my threats mean nothing to you boy?" He roared, venom spewing from his mouth as he yelled. I simply pulled his head up from the ground with my hand before throwing it back down into the pavement to silence him, cracks creeping up his face and into the concrete at the force of the impact. He stilled again, shakily closing his mouth and turning his head back to me. His face restrained as he knew better than to show even the slightest sign of emotion towards me.

"I am severely disappointed in you, of all the survivors of your batch I had expected far more from you," I said, my voice so low that only with our heightened senses was it possible to hear, before continuing.

"And after all the mercy you were spared in the beginning... I would expect nothing but  _ gratitude _ and  _ respect _ from you. After all, I did to keep you from being disposed of," I said, the calm I managed to portray in my voice beginning to startle even myself. It was only because of my position at the time of his creation had I been able to convince our leader that he was valuable, did he live past the first waking hours of his new life.

Rarely did I use my position to pull strings or show any kind of favoritism. But when I saw that there was potential to mold him into a valuable asset to our coven, I made a great effort to sway our leader to spare him.

I didn't appreciate being proved wrong.

He gulped, turning his eyes to something behind me, desiring to look anywhere but at my now black ones. He knew what would come from this. I spared him once. I wouldn't do it again.

I stood, walking around him towards the pile of lifeless bodies. I took in the sight, letting it fuel my rage further. Though there wasn't a single body left completely intact, nearly every limb torn from its socket, I could tell there were four individuals murdered here. Their smells each unique, yet I didn't need to take in the underlying notes of the blood pooling at my feet to tell me they were related. The wedding rings on the adults' hands... The severed, small hand of a child clutching a blood-soaked teddy bear... The disfigured head of a middle schooler was all I needed to see to tell the story.

A family.

"I hope you learned a very important lesson here tonight, Noah," I said, no longer bothering to hide the anger and sheer disappointment in my voice before turning back over my shoulder to look at him where he lay, still frozen in his state of submission on the dirty pavement.

" _ No one  _ goes against me and survives it."


	2. Dance with the Devil

I remembered very little of my human life.

I had awoken cold and afraid, not knowing where I was or how I had gotten there. I didn't know where I was from or how old I was, either. Was I legally an adult, or was I a teenager still in high school? Was I from the city I woke up in, or even an American citizen for that matter? The questions were frightening, but fleeting as a greater one arose. Because the thing that had frightened me the most had left a sense of weariness and dread within me. It was something I thought over constantly even still, looking for the answer through all the months since my change.

I didn't even know my own name.

It seemed as though every single important fact about my life had been wiped from my memory, the expanse of my mind a clean slate save for the few and insignificant things that would appear on random occasions. Hazy images of people from a life I didn't know would sometimes cross my mind; a shadowy figure of an older woman standing over a stove as she cooked, the voice of a man telling me good morning, a snippet of conversation as a group of people sat around a large table discussing politics. I couldn't assign names or specify the importance of them, having no idea if they were family, friends, or near-strangers I had met on only one occasion.

How cruel fate had been.

Yet perhaps it had been for the best. I had to begin from scratch, and surviving in such a horrific world as the one I had woken to, it made it easier to push through. I didn't have anything to mourn over since I remembered nothing, therefore I had no weaknesses to be exploited. The only thing driving me was the pure desire to survive, trying to adapt accordingly to each situation I faced.

I had nothing to go back to, but I had the whole world to live for. With nothing to keep me grounded such as predetermined goals and belief systems, I could become whoever or whatever I wanted.

Or what my creator had wanted.

My unique situation was what had caught his attention when I had first woken, my behavior a stark contrast to the four others I had been locked in that abandoned storage unit with while we had changed. They had let their instincts fuel their actions, fighting each other until torn to shreds, their existing memories and knowledge of the world telling them that they had to eliminate the threats around them. I didn't have that.

I had sat in the corner, observing them tear and shred each other apart, trying to understand through my confusion at what exactly made them act as they had. Tying to learn from their actions, noting what had worked or didn't for each strike and new opponent. It proved useful when the last one standing had turned to me, eager to end every threat in sight. Yet they failed, as only moments after their hand had reached in my direction they became a pile of disassembled limbs beside me. They had left their feet in a weak stance, something none of the others who fought them had noticed. They didn't think, didn't observe. Yet I had.

My empty and impressionable mind was what had saved my life that day, my creator emerging from the shadows to congratulate me on such a show of "talent," as he called it. He said I would come to serve his cause well. I was molded into the perfect weapon, the perfect tool for keeping a coven as large as our own in line and away from discovery.

I hadn't failed a single task he'd given me.

And I wasn't going to start now. Especially not after the sheer betrayal I had felt towards the actions of the pleading vampire before me, clinging to my feet in desperation for forgiveness.

His begs of mercy fell upon deaf ears as I forced him back into the bowing position in the center of the room, his forehead splintering the wooden floorboards as I held it there with more force than was probably necessary. I took my satisfaction where I could find it.

After ordering the two remaining boys at the scene to clean up the mess and stage an accident, I had all but dragged a weeping Noah back to the compound.

Our "home" was on the northwestern outskirts of the city, in a large and abandoned three-story warehouse facing the bay. The closest city dwellers were miles away, the industrial block it sat on having been abandoned decades ago. Far away from prying eyes.

It was little more than a hideaway for the members of our coven, the others outside of myself only being able to leave the confounds of the place when ordered on a mission or to go hunting under my supervision. It was forbidden to leave the compound after sunrise and before sundown, though no one was foolish enough to risk the imminent death that would come from doing such a thing.

The first and second floors were open for the masses to use freely among themselves, having nearly no walls between rooms remaining after the wear and tear that the careless underlings imposed upon the weak drywall, making each floor practically open spaces with no privacy. The third floor was reserved for only the creator; the original structure of the floor's layout remaining completely intact and decorated with the basics of an office. No one entered the space besides he or me unless called upon, and it was guaranteed that the visit wouldn't be a nice one.

Then there was the basement, a dark room that hosted nothing other than the rotting wooden floorboards and a single, dangling lamp that provided the only light in the entire space. Like the top floor, it too was forbidden to enter unless ordered otherwise. Only here, space didn't serve the same purpose of comfortable relaxation as the makeshift office.

It was where the sentencing of crimes was dealt with and the rule-breakers punished. By holding the job of carrying out and overseeing such things, I spent more time in the dark space than I probably wanted.

Not that I really had a choice in the matter.

"Be glad that I'm not the one who gets to decide your fate tonight, Noah," I muttered as I released my hold, standing to move several steps behind him. His body visibly convulsed at the words, his arms and torso trembling in fear. The sheer idea of one's fate resting in the hands of our creator was enough for even the toughest of our ranks to wish and beg for death, the pain and terrible torture he would be put through at the monster's hands was far worse than any punishment I could ever think of.

From above there was a sudden silence that washed over the entirety of the compound, the ever constant noise of conversation and movement vanishing in an instant. A change that, with such strong hearing senses as ours, was impossible to ignore. The only thing left to hear was the slow, paced steps of heavy boots making their way to the basement stairwell. Noah let out a stifled cry, curling into himself even more as if he were trying to disappear into the floorboards beneath him; he heard it too.

_Speak of the devil and he shall appear..._

"My, my.. what a surprise it is to see you in such a place, Noah," came the low, yet terrifyingly excited voice of the madman. It always sent chills down my spine, the memories such a sadistically thrilled voice had attached itself to flooding back each time I heard it. All of the pain and terror to be delivered hidden within each drawn-out word was something even the worst of nightmares couldn't capture.

Out from the shadows of the doorway he made his way into the room, taking his sweet time to draw out every last bit of theatrics as he could before stopping directly in front of the trembling boy on the floor. This was all a game to him, finding enjoyment in drawing out the fearful anticipation of what was to come in his victims. He crouched down, his red eyes drinking in the sight before him, reaching his hand out to run his fingers over the weeping man's hair in a mock-comforting way. The sight was sick to take in, yet I watched on in silence, my body ridged as I forced myself to keep myself free from any sign of emotion. Showing the slightest weakness of emotions at a time like this would have me dead on the floor with the boy before I could manage to process it.

Again, emotions would get you killed in a job such as mine.

"How disappointing it must be to our friend here," the monster said, his voice sticky sweet as he smiled before taking the hand resting softly among Noah's curly hair into a tightly gripped fist around what he could hold, before yanking the boy's head up forcefully. Noah gave a startled and pained yelp of surprise, the instinctual breaths he had been taking now short and low rasps as he tried to calm himself through the pain. Unable to see his eyes, I let the curiosity to see him fade as I knew better than to confirm what I knew lied out of sight. I could see all that was needed in the thrilled grin and blazing eyes of the madman.

"She gave me such a fuss all those months ago over you.." his grin faded slightly, turning into a slight frown of feigned disappointment as he furrowed his brows at the fledgling in his grasp. His voice taking a lower turn than the tone it held moments before. He tutted. "She saw potential that I never believed you had, yet I spared you that time. It wasn't often she asked for favors, so I was willing to reward such loyalty with your sparing.

"But, oh, what a pathetic sight you were! You couldn't hold your own against your siblings, your legs barely holding you up like a frightened newborn foal at the slightest foreign sound or sight.. Yet she saved you- Ha! And to see, now, what a waste of effort and time you were for her! For someone of such importance as my second in command to spare even the slightest ounce of effort on you, a waste of our resources. A flaw in our perfected plans!"

Suddenly the devil had Noah's head twisted around to face me in a 180-degree turn, his shoulders following suit as he desperately tried to lessen the pain at such a quick action, the pale hand that gripped tightly against his skull giving him little leeway to do anything more. Noah's terrified and saddened eyes desperately sought mine, trying to strike some emotion within me. Internally begging for help.

I forced a frown in faux boredom, my gaze even as I stared back at him in feigned ignorance of his silent pleas, instead only giving a hardened look in return. I didn't dare break the eye contact, my role in this sick game was just as important to my survival as it was to the destruction of the boy before me. I knew what was expected of me in these moments, evil sought evil. And I played the part far too well. The creator's eyes lingered on me, drinking in the reaction, judging the look on my face before grinning. Eyes blown wide in sadistic enjoyment as he let out a laugh.

The devil was satisfied.

For now.

"Now. Tell her you're sorry," He said, a fake pout replacing the thrilled look as fast as it had come, looking down to the boy from behind as he held him tightly in his grasp. His other arm came to hold around his chest, the pressure beneath the tight grip preventing the slightest bit of movement from the boy. Noah looked at me again, his silence breaking as he began to hyperventilate at the level of terror he now felt. He would never leave the position he was now held in, and the implications of what that meant for him finally dawned on him. He'd die on this floor at the hands of the devil.

The lack of response wasn't the answer he had looked for, and gripping the boy tighter he twisted his neck again, eliciting an agonized scream from Noah.

"I _said_.. say you're sorry" he growled through clenched teeth, pulling back the boy's head even father, almost as if testing the elasticity. How far would it go before snapping off? Noah's screams only continued, his body writhing in the hold. Like a fish out of water, suffocating for the air his immortal lungs didn't need.

"I'm-I'm Sorry!" he yelled, choking on the words as he tried to force them out through the pain. I held back a wince, deepening my frown further to prevent a slip of emotion. It was a tactic he had used countless times on other victims, toying with them. Playing with their emotions, humiliating them to get their venom boiling. To mess with their minds, get in their heads, and _wreck_ them.

It was only the beginning of the show, I reminded myself. The opening act in what the sadistic creature holding the poor boy down had in store for his most recent victim. I knew he wouldn't make it long through this game, he was mentally weaker than most who had met the same fate. I only hoped that he would give in to it, something that brought boredom to our maker- when there was no more tortured screams to elicit from him he would kill him instantly when the fun was gone. It would be quicker for him this way.

The answer was satisfactory enough it seemed as he stood back up, bringing the boy with him, still held tightly to his chest. He had Noah's head pulled far back over his shoulder, the scared and exposed pale flesh of his neck level with the demon's mouth. I knew what was to happen next, the flashes of all the similar cases I faced in this very room filled my mind, each following this same pattern. The toying and games he would play were always different. But this- this was always the same. I met my maker's eye, nodding at the unspoken command hidden within his pitch-black eyes. I gave a stiff nod in understanding, his wicked grin only growing in response.

It was time to light the fire.

* * *

It wasn't often that the estate fell quiet, the large home usually filled with the humorous conversation of family, the sound of music from decades past floating through the halls, and the soft, intimate moments stolen away between lovers. Rare were the days where the home of such light, positive and happy emotions became hollow of such things, space once free and flowing stuffed with thick emotions of far graver origins.

The suffocating feelings followed the silence almost as instantly as it had come, the intensity of the moment cutting through the open sitting room where the residents of the home had been lounging.

It had started with the crashing sound of a vase falling to the floor, startling the family that had been so relaxed only moments before. But one look in the direction of the sound to behold the sight, the petite woman standing still- too still- over the shards of glass and freshly cut roses from their mother's garden, her face glazed over in a look of sheer horror sent them all into silence as they waited for her to return to reality. To hear what she had seen.

No one moved for some time, save for the small woman's mate who had instantly moved to her side in worry. Moments ticked by until she gasped, her hollow lungs taking in the air they didn't need, her bright eyes blown wide as she returned to them from wherever her gifted sight had taken her.

A growl from the other talented sibling followed, furthering the emotions of fear and worry emitting from the five other occupants of the room, the deep and warning sound confirming the terror in the seer's eyes even further at the anger it held.

" _No,"_ was all the mind-reader could get out, his once relaxed body now gone ridged in his chair by the fireplace.

Six pairs of eyes darted back and forth between the two gifted siblings, trying but failing to follow the silent conversation between the two by reading their expressions.

Their ever impatient sister finally let out a growl of her own in annoyance at the exclusion a minute later, standing from her place under her lover's arm. It worked, finally snapping the two out of their mental conversation to glance at their waiting family.

The small woman clutched her mate's arm in support, her eyes darting frantically around the room. He wrapped his own around her in reassurance, watching her intently as he waited.

As they all waited.

"I...I saw something coming- something bad," she said, her usually melodic and cheerful voice dying to a sad and sober tone. One that didn't fit her at all, stirring the panic further. At her hesitation to continue, the mindreader cut in to finish for her, his eyes ablaze as his anger grew by the moment. Barely able to contain his rage.

"Someone is plotting against us," he growled, his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth tightly to contain himself. His hands clenched in fists at his sides. "They want to kill us, kill-"

His voice died in his throat, his usual calm thrown to the wind as his voice became only barely lower than a roar. He stilled, a sight far more terrifying than the tempered fit he had been only moments from throwing.

"They're going to kill Bella."


	3. Your Obedient Servant

If there was one thing I had come to find any emotional comfort in during this life, it was the promise of getting to return to my personal quarters at the end of a long day. While the rest of the coven was limited to the first two floors of the compound, our leader taking the top and bottom levels to use for his dark agendas, only one part of the abandoned property remained unoccupied.

The crumbling structure of the factory annex was conjoined to the main building through only a small corridor that had caved in upon itself decades ago, the mound of brick that had fallen in on itself blocking the entrance to the additional unit on the main levels. But a second entrance existed beneath the street, connecting the dark basement of the main building to that of the smaller one I had come to call my own.

I had claimed the space for myself almost instantly upon our coven's move to the large space. I was met with little objection, as all knew that to try and face the wrath of the leader's second in command was to grant their own death wish. The annex became the place where I retreated to once the deeds of the day were done and I had a few hours to spare.

It wasn't the decor or treasures I had brought in from my hunts to fill the place that gave me the sense of comfort or peace, but rather it was the fact that this was the one place I could truly be alone. Free to forget about the dozens of idiots I had to watch during the evenings, free to finally drop the hardened facade of being the devil's chaos-driven second in command. For those few hours, I was able to be no one. The nobody I truly was, the no name.

The solitude was the one thing in this life that I had, the one thing I could control. This was my space; I had set up a few pieces of furniture at the center of the large room for lounging and reading, a tall pile of books stacked neatly by the worn-out sofa. At the back corner of the room was a broken chest that I used to store the few clothing and personal items I had salvaged from my victims, a timeworn painting of flowers I had picked up in an alleyway hung crookedly on a rusty nail above my box of little treasures.

It had been nearly 5 am when I had been dismissed to dispose of Noah's body once the devil grew bored with playing his twisted games. I had stood in silent obedience for hours after lighting the ancient furnace built into the back wall of the basement, tending to the blazing warmth of the fire within as he took his sweet time tearing piece after piece from the boy's mangled body, chunking the limbs into the coals one after the other.

The sting of Noah's betrayal had still hung heavy on me afterward, even as I strode through the narrow and damp corridor to the annex, the bitterness of being wrong mixed with the all too familiar emotions that came with sitting through yet another torture session. It had me less than eager to spend a moment longer in the company of my coven. I wanted my solitude, I craved it. Without it, I didn't know how close I would become to snapping on someone, the need to release the pent-up rage was prickling at my skin. It wasn't an all too rare occurrence where I had ripped off a limb from a coven mate or two because they had been at the wrong place at the wrong time.

So, one would assume that the idiots would know better than to impose on such a volatile creature in their own den, right?

Apparently, there was one vampire who didn't seem to get the memo.

"I thought I told you last time, Diego," I growled over my shoulder from my place on the threadbare sofa, my eyes never leaving the page of the book I was currently reading. It was just past noon, and though the makeshift curtains I had made from discarded tarps kept most of the bright sunshine from coming in through the windows, there were still thick lines beneath them where light managed to enter the room, telling me that there was still a long while until I was supposed to go back to tending to the underlings. I could sense his body shift in the doorway to lean against the splintered frame behind me, the old floorboards beneath him creaking at the shift of weight, "that the next time you set foot in my lair your ass would be grass."

The familiar boyish chuckle tickled my ears, the almost taunting tone to it telling me all I needed to know. He never took my threats seriously. I scowled further, narrowing my eyes in a more forceful effort to concentrate on the paragraph I was on as he moved from the doorway to plop down into the La-Z-Boy chair across from me.

"Oh, so you're calling it your  _ lair  _ now are you, Count Dracula?"

I spared the smallest of a moment's glance at him, taking in the annoyingly large grin that seemed to be permanently plastered across his olive face. His faded red eyes were wide in a mischievous way that set my scowl even deeper on my lips than before. He was always up to no good when he came here.

Every single member of our coven had faced my wrath at least once, most on more than one occasion as per their newborn nature. Each had deserved it in one way or another, whether it be from disobeying orders during training or out of causing chaos. But this kid hadn't. Yes, he was the biggest thorn in my side, always bugging me and getting under my skin. But it was never in a harmful way. I sensed that perhaps there was some commonality between the behavior and that of the way a younger sibling would pester their older sibling, but being I had no true experience with the feeling to relate the two it was only my best guess.

I dismissed the dig with a sharp flip of the page of my book, taking great care not to rip yet another page out from my pent-up frustration at the evening's events, a pile of twenty or so of the previous pages lying next to me in tattered shreds. He chuckled again at my response, or rather at the lack thereof. I rolled my eyes.

"So, I guess Noah must have really done a number on the downtown by the sound of how badly you tore into him down in the pit." He said, tone quieter now, low enough so that no one outside the small room could hear. Discussing words like those in the open were brazen enough to get one killed.

I slammed the book shut at that, growling as my patience had worn too thin to even fathom thinking on the matter. If I had to spend one more moment thinking about Noah, or the  _ pit _ as the rest of the coven referred to the basement, I was going to go on a rampage. I met his gaze in warning, an unspoken understanding between the two of us that he knew to take the topic no further.

I evened my gaze as I calmed, watching him curiously, searching his face for signs of why he really came to visit. His visits were never without cause, his small talk was only for testing my mood. To see how best to bring up his visit's purpose. "Why are you here?"

After a moment of studying me in return, searching for something he knew he wouldn't find on my stoic face, the smile he so often wore didn't reappear as it usually would have. Something unsettling swelled in my chest, worry, before I pushed it down as soon as it came. Though his next words were nothing to settle me further. He adverted his eyes.

"I just left a meeting with Riley," he said, his tone low and gruff as he decided to bring up the subject slowly. Smartly.

I groaned internally, a million thoughts flooding my mind. Guesses of what he could have possibly discussed with our leader.

It was no secret that his second choice in a right-hand man after myself would be Diego; a smart, eager to please member of our coven who had been turned just short of two months after myself. He was fast and of average strength, the brute force he had once been able to overpower me with having quickly dulled after the first weeks of his change. But there was always a subconscious knowledge that if Riley so chooses to displace me, it would be with him. He began inviting Diego to his study more often about six weeks ago, letting him in on operations and knowledge that previously only myself had been told. Grooming him, getting ready for something much bigger than just being pent up in a factory on the outskirts of Seattle. He was planning something.

Something to do with me. I just didn't know what yet.

And as odd as it would sound, I wasn't as bothered by that as I probably should have been. My position was important, yes, but it didn't grant me immunity to the same punishments and treatments my siblings received. If anything, they were more severe and gruesome. And most of all it would be a foolish assumption to make that by being his second I was safe from extermination.

I was still a puppet. A tool, the perfect monster he had so carefully constructed out of my blank canvas of a mind. Diego knew that and didn't seek my role as perhaps other members of our coven would if they were given the opportunities that Diego had been.

But that didn't mean he intended to refuse the offer if given it, either.

"And what did he say that I should be so concerned with?" I asked cooly, quirking a brow at him in peaked interest. He looked at me then, running a hand through his curly black hair, brushing back some of the fallen curls from his face. It was a very human action that he did a lot; he was one of the few who had a near-perfect memory of his human life, his quirks and treats carrying into this dark one.

A stark difference between us.

"Well, I think you might want to find that out for yourself," he said, earning an apprehensive look from me. Once again, he was able to hold back any expressions from his face, a sober and serious look taking over the usually happy one in a way that he usually had a hard time doing. It was most concerning.

I shook my head in dismissal, going back to my book. I didn't have time for riddles and word games. If it was something he wanted to speak with me about, then it must be important and it would be a meeting to come in due time. I raised a brow, going back to the chapter I had left off at, my voice stiff with indifference as I spoke, "did he send you to fetch me, or did you come here for something else?"

He fell silent for a moment.

I sighed after a few minutes sitting in the silence, the irritated edge to it showing just how close my pent-up emotions were to coming through again. "If Riley didn't send for me, or he didn't ask you to relay an order, go back to the common room. I don't babysit before sunset"

He bristled at my biting tone, the sting of my words evident in his shocked expression. He was offended by how easily I brushed him off. My indifference was unsettling, surprise surprise.

I didn't bother looking up.

"Is that really how everything is with you?" He deadpanned after a long minute of no response, giving me a heated look. I raised my glance back up again, seething slightly at the audacity at how bluntly he spoke. He'd never spoken to me this way, no matter how harsh my order. He was riding a thin line, one that before this moment he had never come within a mile of.

"What do you mean?" I asked lowly, gritting my teeth. I didn't like his tone, the look he gave me was as if he could see right through me. As if he knew everything about me, all that I was. It made me glower with anger.

He scowled further, it was a terrible look on him. It didn't look right on his gentle features. I frowned, irritated by his uncharacteristic behavior, but he didn't budge. I bared my teeth, daring him to go on with the fight he was picking.

"I just don't see how you treat everyone and everything in your life like it means nothing. Nothing matters to you," he ranted, throwing out his hands in a gesture to me. Something made him snap, I knew it. Whether it was to do with Riley's meeting or solely my piss poor attitude, I wasn't sure. But I sure as hell wasn't going to take his words kindly. I repositioned my body from my seat on the couch, moving to a half-crouched position, warning him of just how far he was pushing his luck.

"I come down here at least every other day, for what- nearly a year- spending hours trying to crack your shell, telling you all about my interests and life story," he sighed, shaking his head, a look of disappointed astonishment on his face, "yet you never budge. Ever. It's like a brick wall, nothing there. Is that really all this life is to you? You're not even willing to try living, only surviving? Killing for Riley and killing for survival?

"You know, I thought that just maybe you were just afraid. Afraid of Riley and what he could do to you, so you obliged to everything. But I don't think that's the case anymore, I think you're honestly just as heartless as he's made you to be. There's nothing going on inside, is there? You just shut it off, like its that easy huh."

He gestured to my face trying to convey emotions in his unwelcome speech, entering a territory I hated more than anything else on this earth. My venom was boiling, my mouth pooling with it as he struck a nerve I would not tolerate.

He pitied me.

I launched forward without another thought, having him pinned to the adjacent wall by his throat, teeth bare as I held him there, though I knew he probably expected this to happen. His face was free of any emotion that would invite challenge, knowing perfectly well he overstepped. Probably had done so intentionally. I wasn't sure what I looked like at that moment- my eyes ablaze in anger, a hideous scowl etched across my features, venom seeping through clenched teeth as I growled- but I know for a fact it sure as hell wasn't one of a pitiful, sappy damsel in need of saving.

"Let's get one thing straight, okay?" I hissed, voice so low it would have startled myself had I been in any other mood than the fury I was in now. He breathed out through his nose, a slow stream of air blowing against my pale arm, his eyes heavy-lidded as he looked down to me with a calm expression, or at least as calm as a vampire could be with their every instinct screaming at them to fight.

" _ First  _ of all, I don't know what kind of tragic backstory you think I'm harboring but this isn't fucking Candy Land, okay?" I spat, eyes never leaving his own as I wanted to make  _ very  _ sure he heard me, loud and clear, "Everything's not all gumdrops and rainbows,  _ not _ in this world.  _ Not  _ for us. That little fairytale bullshit ended when you died. When you woke up as a vampire- a monster- a predator.

"Kill or be killed is our way of life. There's no room for "opening up about  _ emotions _ and  _ interests.  _ You don't get such luxuries. Don't like it? That mentality will only get you killed- again! Wake up from whatever dreamland you live in and bask in the reality of our situation," I said, my voice going from its once frantic and fast tone to a more somber and bitter one, each word like poison in my mouth. I released my hand from his neck, backing up a step to look evenly at him, his face still unreadable. The air was thick, suffocating my burning and empty lungs.

"We do not get to make such decisions as to when and if we want to fight or not, that's not how it works. If  _ he  _ says to fight, you do it. You ask no questions, you just obey and exceed his expectations in doing so. All it takes is one little move, one little thought out of line to end your life. You don't get to live freely, to live how you want. That's a human's dream. So arrogantly ignorant you are, Diego, to assume otherwise." I said, my arms crossed tightly as I maintained a stiff posture. The sudden flood of emotions was something I had rarely experienced, and speaking about such things, let alone so much at once was something I had never done. But I had to get it all out, to make him see just how crazy his implications were. He hadn't moved from his place on the wall, still leaning back upon it with his hands clenched by his sides. Maybe he wanted to protest, but I didn't let him.

"That's the problem with you lot-" It was my turn to gesture to him, in reference to the other newborns, " you think you're some kind of gods, chosen to wreak havoc upon the earth at your will. That you're invincible, and by being chosen by Riley to enter this life of undeserved power places you in some kind of higher power over human men. But you'd be very wrong.

"What  _ god  _ are you that you get to do and feel and think about such things? This isn't a fairytale land where your status as being more than human gives you the go-ahead to do and say what you want. This isn't  _ your  _ coven. And I'm sure as hell not taking orders and scolding words from you about how I have chosen to  _ live  _ my life," I laughed bitterly at him, shaking my head at the words in distaste.

"And  _ second _ of all, I don't know what "shell of mine" you are referring to, but let me be perfectly clear when I say that you  _ don't _ know me. And you _ never _ will. Because there is nothing to tell, this is my life. The one life I have ever lived and it is all I know. I'm not blind by what I do, I know I am a monster, but I am not dumb enough to even let myself believe for a single second that this fate is escapable or changeable. It's not."

I paced back and forth for a moment before planting myself firmly before him, gesturing to myself in fervor as I tried with all my might to get him to see. To see just how important it was that he understood the consequences at hand.

_ " This  _ is my reality, it is  _ your  _ reality, Diego. No matter what I do, no matter how strong and powerful I am over the others, I am not irreplaceable. No one here is safe from their second death, all it takes is the careless action and beliefs that you hold on to so strongly to put you in a bad place of Riley's favor. Don't let that happen," I said, allowing what small sense of genuine concern seep through my voice. Let him be warned.

He had so much potential, so much to keep him alive. But he was an idiot by his own means, and it would cost him his head if he placed his nose somewhere it didn't belong.

"So, here's your look past that "wall" I have. Every fiber of my being, every thought filling my brain has been placed there by careful, rigorous design. I am not a  _ person _ , that thing you lot so enjoy considering yourselves, because you happened to remember your human lives. It makes you weak. Don't be fooled by my allowing you to come here and pester me as an invitation to some kind of friendship. We don't have friends here, there's no such thing. There are only enemies and those who have the potential to become enemies. That is all."

He stood silent for a while longer, face finally readable for once. An emotion I knew better than any plastered on his face. Disgust.

I propped myself against the back of the sofa, eyes glued to this vampire before me. Watching, assessing every move in a way I would do to a target. Because the reality here was that in the end, that was all he would be. And I to him, if he really knew better. He wasn't safe from the plans Riley had, nor was I. And both being so close to his command put us in a boat together that would eventually sink. It was designed intentionally with leaks and holes in the bottom.

"So," he started, voice deep and low and full of an emotion I didn't quite recognize. I didn't like it, but it was better than the pity it had held earlier. He looked me down then, eyes no longer holding the disgust as before but were softer, yet, like his voice, was unreadable to me. It made me feel weird, yet I allowed it. He took a step closer, and then another, slowly getting closer until a good three feet remained between us.

"You just accept that you're-" he swallowed loudly, hands out in front of him in a way to signify he was trying to grasp something. I watched in concealed interest, eyes darting between the strange face and hands. I could guess the rest of that sentence for him. I knew the word so well.

"You're a monster?"

I sat there for a bit, taking in that moment of strange emotions thick in the air and the purely disconcert tone of his voice that still rung in my ears. Like he couldn't believe, couldn't accept that for the true and simple answer that it was. I gave a wicked laugh.

"Better that than an arrogant god," I bit out, a strange sense of twisted mirth overtaking me. Reveling in the knowledge and acceptance of what I was.

He blinked at me in bewilderment.

I merely blinked back.

* * *

It would be a lie to say that I didn't know how long we had sat there in utter silence, as the weight of my words settled into the dust around us, leaving a sense of frustration within Diego. For me, it was a feeling I had long since accepted, a truth so painfully obvious to myself that I had swallowed it long ago.

But in reality, with our impeccable senses, I easily counted that we had sat there for 30 minutes and 43 seconds before Diego finally moved from his place standing over me. He inched his way towards the door almost in a defeated manner and had I not known better I would have gloated at it. But I knew him well enough to know that he simply didn't want to stir my anger further, the poorly concealed eagerness to retaliate to my harsh words glimmered in his eyes all those moments we had sat in our silent stare down.

He paused in the doorway for the slightest of moments, not daring to look back and cause more conflict as he said, voice melancholic, "Riley asked for you to meet him tonight. Before taking tonight's group out to feed."

And with only a curt nod from me in response, he left.

I walked over to the recliner chair he had sat in earlier, taking that seat as my own before turning back to the book I had been reading before his disturbance.

As I tried to read the book, I found myself caught in the strangest phenomenon, barely managing to read the same two pages I had been looking at for the past hour, taking none of the words in. A foreign emotion had started to take hold in my chest, one that I didn't know whether to be afraid of or welcoming towards, but it had trapped my mind in replaying the unpleasant interaction I had with Diego.

I ran my words over and over again in my mind, analyzing everything I said. I had been truthful, my words dripped in the poisonous truth I had become so well known for sharing. Yet this feeling- this ache that was appearing- betrayed that part of me that wanted to be smug in putting him in his place. Why?

I didn't understand it. I tried convincing myself that I was being absurd, to feel bad for doing my job was ridiculous, yet I couldn't shake it no matter how hard I tried to distract myself. To rationalize that I was in the right, trying to get him to see. So that he would save himself.

Even as the bright rays of daylight from under the covered windows faded into the cloudy haze of dusk, the feeling never subsided.

So, I did what I was best at, and shoved the thoughts and the strange, powerful feeling to the side as I prepared myself for the impending meeting I had been summoned to.

My absurd emotions could wait, I had a job to do.

I raced through the connective corridors and up through the main basement, the smell of scorched coals and the sickening familiar tang of burnt venom still engulfing the space, before arriving on the main floor. I walked at a human pace to the stairs, the sharp click of my boots against the wood echoing through the large room as those around me stopped to stare.

I paid no mind, used to the looks of fear and unease I stirred in my siblings' eyes as they all took in the haunting, mangled pallor of my skin. It was a natural instinct to feel threatened by the marks permanently indented into our marble skin, a feature I used to my advantage and flaunted by exposing as much of my arms and neck as I could when around them all, my long and unruly hair in a tangled ponytail pulled high out of my face for that very purpose.

We all had scars of similar shapes and varieties, yet none stood close to the number I had begun to collect as I grew stronger and higher in my position in Riley's coven. If someone was going to get hurt dealing with rowdy newborns or put down a careless vampire that threatened our safety, it was going to be me in the crossfires.

I ascended the creaking stairs, eyes trained on each step ahead of me until I arrived at the top floor, where a single closed door stood at the end of the hallway. Riley's office.

Walking up to the door, I barely reached my hand out to take the knocker before his voice stopped me before I could touch it. The chilling calm that permanently laced his words sent a shiver up my spine.

"Come in, my dear."

I took my time opening the door, cracking it open to assess the room ahead of me before deeming it safe to enter. No surprises lurked inside to challenge me as there had been a few times before, tests he had put me through to "keep me on my toes."

But it was empty, save for Riley and me. He stood by the large window, the curtains now opened and pulled back to reveal the clouded night sky, the moon peeking out behind the murky clouds in the distance. He never looked away, staying in his place as he watched the streets below, an eerie calm washed over his face. I moved to the single chair in the room, save for his own larger and plush chair across the mahogany desk. It creaked at the shift in my weight as I sat in silence. Waiting on him to speak first.

He didn't bother to look back at me as he spoke a moment later, only shifting his stance, moving to cross his arms as he studied the bustling city beyond.

Plotting.

"I must say," he said lowly, stalling a moment longer by the window before finally turning to acknowledge me. I stiffened as his dark eyes came to rest on my face, analyzing every detail. He smirked before continuing, "after the events of last night, I'm quite surprised you handled the aftermath as well as you did." He gave a wicked cackle, amusement swimming in his beady eyes as he reminisced.

I nodded, averting my eyes to the floor, trying to take as much attention off of myself as possible. I did well at hiding my emotions, but that didn't mean I was flawless at it. I was still bitter about Noah, and the more I did to hide that fact the better.

"It was my pleasure, just another night's work completed, " I said, brushing off his comment, doing my best to sound apathetic. I glanced back at him, giving a slight smirk, "Noah was a weak link, his actions would have destroyed us had he been allowed to live longer. If anything, I am glad that he misstepped so that it could be dealt with now rather than later," I said, allowing the forced smirk to turn into a grin.

He grinned back, the tight-lipped smile he wore now spread wide like that of a Cheshire cat. He stepped closer, inching slowly to the front of his desk where I sat before he was a mere few inches away. He leaned down to be level with my sitting form, his face even with mine as it lowered to invade my personal space.

"And just when I think you'll finally crack, you simply become more resilient," he purred darkly, raising his hand to brush at the fallen strands of long caramel hair from my face, forcing me to repress the strongest urge to recoil at his touch, "you never cease to amaze me at your strength and loyalty, my dear Persephone."

And there it was. That name, the one that I hated with all of my being, the mere whisper of it sent my venom boiling. The name that he had mockingly given me all those months ago when I had just begun training to be the soldier I was now.

A fitting name, he had deemed it, it was humorous to him that it fit my position so well as he saw himself as the figurative incarnate of Hades, as everyone saw him. And the other younglings agreed, that it was suited to such an ironic correlation, as they had all taken to using that name every time they wished to speak of me. The mention of the Greek maiden filled their hushed whispers for weeks as they spoke of the horrors I carried out for Riley before, finally, it stuck.

He stood there leaning down a moment longer, a strange contemplative look on his face before he finally stood up again, turning to the other seat across the desk. He took out a rusty, old key that went with the piece of furniture before using it to open one of the desk drawers. While rummaging through it, he spoke more. Finally getting to business, I held back the sigh of relief I wanted to let out.

The sooner I was out of this space and out running my rounds, the better.

"It has been nearly a year since I created you, a year you have served my coven in diligence and with an iron fist," he said, finally finding the paper he sought, taking the crisp white page before folding it down into a square, placing it on the desktop. He rested his hand there for a moment as he studied me closely, far more serious than I had ever seen him before. The look sent a chill down my spine. "But I didn't create you _ just _ to clean up after the coven's messes, or to take out the rotten seeds when they disobey. No, I had greater things in mind for you."

I had wished too soon. Whatever he intended me to do next, I knew it would be bad. Far worse than anything I had done before. I sat there stunned, unable to think of what he could possibly be implying. I had an inkling, but I didn't dare let my mind go there.

"You've proven to me your loyalty and skill, something that will grant you success in your mission should you comply exactly as I have planned for you," his serious tone sent a bubble of terrible emotions swirling in my chest, emotions I had never felt but I knew they were linked to the fact that I was  _ not  _ liking a single word he had to say, and I didn't look forward to the words I knew he was going to say. Surely, he wasn't going to send me  _ there.  _ But I couldn't protest, not unless I wanted my head on a spear.

Somehow, through the strong and overwhelming emotions, I managed a stiff nod, complying to what I knew would be my death. I knew this day would eventually come, but not so soon.

He smiled that ugly grin of his, eyes alight as he surely sensed the emotions rolling off me in waves, he delighted in the fact that I knew I was trapped. That I was going to do whatever he said no matter what, it made the emotions swell even more, yet this time mixed with a hint of an emotion I knew better than the rest. Hate.

"You know our coven's purpose, Persephone. Your siblings wish to make me out to be the worst devil in existence, but there's no denying the fact that I am  _ far  _ from the evils of those who wish to see us destroyed," he said, his rough voice taking an even darker tone. The air suddenly became thick with the tension and severity of the situation. I realized then what the sharp pain of emotion I felt was- fear.

I knew- we all knew- that there were even bigger monsters than ourselves out there. We were all told the stories, some assumed it to be a false tale created by Riley to scare us into submission. But we knew those monsters were real. I had to hear Riley talk about them time and time again as he ranted about the lands that were rightfully ours, and how the yellow eyes took it from us. How they killed and tortured the entire coven save for the lone survivor, Riley.

The Cullens, that is what he said they called themselves.

He escaped them, turning to the slums of Seattle to hide. He began to reform his lost coven, gaining strength in numbers against the threat that was ever looming over him. He said they would return, never satisfied until they wiped any remnants of his coven from the earth. That's why my siblings- why I- were created. We stood a fighting chance in numbers. At least, that's what Riley believed.

But he did a good job of striking a sense of doubt in me that we could win- not against the supposed, terrifying abilities of the yellow-eyed vampires. Something that our coven didn't possess.

The sound of the folded paper being slid across the desk pulled me from my dark thoughts, and as the paper came to a stop before me, Riley's hand retreating back to his lap, I could manage to do nothing but stare at it. I didn't want to see what was inside.

I glanced up to Riley, his expression lost on me as it was a mix of many emotions, muddled together in a way that left me unsure if even he was wary of this mission too. But at his nod of encouragement, I took the paper, slowly opening it with caution, as if something from the page would jump out at me.

A map printed from the internet, directions to the highlighted destination listed below it.

Forks, Washington.

I glanced at him, the confusion in my eyes apparent as he explained further.

"It's time we take our first steps toward gaining the upper hand in this fight," he said, the odd expression now gone from his pale face and replaced by one lit with a smile and eager eyes, "The Cullens have had their reign of terror for long enough, and with their belief that my coven has disappeared for good, thinking that I will live my eternity cowering in fear, gives us the chance to take the offense in this. Take a charge at them when they're least expecting it.

"However, before we can take a chance at a full-on confrontation, we need to scout the place. That will be your mission. Taking in the perimeter of their territory, analyzing their strong and weak points. You will report back to me in two days' time with the information, providing any insight into any advantages we can take when we do decide to attack.

"You will leave upon the hour, only stopping to feed in Port Angeles, if you're going to make it in good time. Take care to hunt before entering their territory- they will know instantly if you decide to, so stopping at the Port will prevent that. Stick to the town's main streets if they discover you, they wouldn't attack there if you get into trouble. But I know that won't be a problem for you, my dear. There's a reason you've made it this far. I trust no one else on such an important task."

I sat there, stunned. At a loss for finding the right thing to say- if there was anything- the fear too strong at the revelation of what I was about to do. But somehow through the fog I managed to nod, forcing a small smile to plaster itself across my face. This was going to be a breeze... right?

In my gut, I knew that it wasn't. It definitely wasn't. But I had no choice in the matter. I never had a choice before, not in the last year of this existence. I wasn't going to be granted one now.

I was going to die, one way or another. I knew that it was always a fact for me. I would die if I did this for him, the yellow-eyed monsters delivering what I knew would be a horrible death, I knew that for certain. But I would also die if I tried to refuse his command.

So, I did what I knew was my only true option in this situation. I stood, folding the now memorized map and placing it in my back pocket before leaning over the desk, staring my creator in the eye. I managed to keep the poison grin plastered on my face for a moment longer.

"Your wish is my command."

* * *

It was rare for the couple to stop in such small cities as Port Angeles for long, the risk of discovery too great for their liking, but sometimes the feeding opportunities were just too great to pass up. They had planned on only stopping for an hour of feeding along the city harbor's docks, the space crowded with empty boats providing the most ideal places to hide a body, and they had stuck to the decided schedule thus far. The hour coming to a close in less than a minute, the pair were well on their way to the city outskirts.

Until the male came to a skidding halt, that is.

The woman, who had been holding his larger, scared hand tightly, was pulled back suddenly at his abruptness. She looked to him in confusion before seeing the look in his eye. She knew that look well.

"What is it, honey?" She asked, her tone full of more curiosity than concern. His "gift" was known to be more of a hunch about random, obscure facts rather than being of factual and important meaning. Usually.

But the look on his face made her concern grow for once, furthering as he remained silent for a moment longer. She could practically see the gears turning in his head.

"I don't think we should leave town just yet," he said, his usually blithe tone turning into a more troubled, confused grumble that she hadn't heard in decades. A moment later he regained his composure, eyes now clear taking in the worry in his mate's wide doe eyes. He clasped her petite hand in his tighter, bringing it to rest under his chin as he pecked it lightly.

"Don't worry, sugar. It's nothing dramatic. I just have a feeling that a new friend of ours will be needing our help."


	4. Down on the Corner

I had little to do in preparation for taking my leave from the compound.

Riley had granted me an hour, a timeframe during which I was supposed to have all my things in order for the next three days.

I sat in the annex for the first thirty minutes, sitting motionless in the broken La-Z-Boy recliner. The only sounds were the faint noise from the packed main building, the occasional sound of a passing train echoing off the stone walls. My mind had raced with the emotions I was feeling in that moment, many for the first time. I couldn't identify them all, but fear and dread were the two most powerful.

Had I been a human I was sure I would have thrown up.

_ Holy shit I'm going to die. _

I knew I had to remain calm... or at least, as calm as a vampire walking into their own personal death trap could possibly be.

Before leaving the building, I walked over to the little trunk of "treasures" I had collected over the past year. I took my time rummaging through the items, moving to the side a stack of neatly folded shirts and miscellaneous clothing accessories that sat at the top, finally reaching the bottom where a rusty, old lunchbox rested. I fondly recalled the night I had found such an item.

It was a common pastime of mine to rummage through the vast dumpsters and discarded boxes of items in the dark alleyways when I had some free time to spare on my hunting trips. It was where I found this box, wedged between the brick wall of a comic book store and its dumpster, an item that I couldn't help but keep around.

Most of the paint had chipped off, but I had recognized the image plastered on the front. It has stirred a strange feeling within me, a new fragment of a memory surfacing as it triggered an emotion, a warm feeling in my chest. The feeling of nostalgia had overtaken me as I focused, happily, on the new fuzzy memory I had recollected.

_ A snippet of a time when I assumed I was a small child watching Star Wars: A New Hope, lines of bright yellow script flashing across the tv screen as a feeling of excitement overtook the child me, the flash of a lightsaber going off in my tiny hand as I thrust it at the person beside me, who raised their own in retaliation. Popcorn went flying through the air like confetti as I swung the bright blue toy across the coffee table, knocking the bowl up high into the air. Laughter echoed in my ears before the memory faded as fast as it had come. _

But I wouldn't forget it. Not again.

I traced the risen metal painted over by the image of the Death Star as I reminisced over the memory, Darth Vader looming ominously behind the trio of heroes below him. The paint of Luke Skywalker's face nearly flecked away completely. I had kept the box anyway, the significance of it was too great to let go of. I cherished it greatly. As I did the few items I hid inside it.

Each thing I held on to had a meaning, a snippet of my past identity that it brought forward. I treated them as though they were the memories themselves. They were all I had.

Prying open the box I couldn't help the grin that quickly etched itself on my lips as I took in the items nestled inside. I took great care in taking them out one by one.

The largest item was a big, round presidential campaign button, the slogan of "Clinton - Gore '96" written across the American flag in bold letters. I had found it in yet another dumpster, beneath giant black bags of waste. I couldn't recall anything about the time itself, but I knew a general knowledge that the pair had won re-election. The pin brought a strange, but more detailed memory than the lunchbox.

_ A group of a dozen or more people sat around a large table, the round tabletop covered in plate after plate of food, a large floral arrangement in the center of the table with orange and brown leaves surrounding it. The faces were hazy, none distinguishable. But I knew I was present, wedged between two adults. A shrill voice came from behind me in the kitchen, an elderly woman spewing hateful words to someone at the table, her voice dripping in a strong southern accent. _

_ "Now I've said it once, and I won't say it again! If you're even the slightest bit a true patriotic American you wouldn't be backing no member of the Ass party!" A string of gasps followed, though there were faint giggles from the other children at the table. I knew I had laughed at the naughty curse word. _

_ The older woman across from me yelled back with just as much fervor, "Damnit, Tina! I am sick of your backward ways, I think America needs a fine man like Clinton up there in that White House, he's done a fine n' dandy job so far! No need to ruin dinner over it, now you've made me take back being thankful for your racist ass!" _

It was strange, such an odd memory entangled with something so small as a political campaign, but it was the only memory I had that showed at least some true hint of my past family life. A Thanksgiving dinner with what I presumed to be my family, perhaps distant relatives or great-aunts arguing over their political views? It was something, at least. I would take it over nothing.

The next item was a ticket stub. This time, it wasn't an item I had stumbled upon in another back alleyway. I had used some cash I had taken from a victim's wallet one night, the evening just beginning as there were hours still left in our feeding trip. I wasn't on patrol back then, Riley was still directly watching over the groups himself. I was just beginning to learn my duties, only three months old. I knew he wouldn't be watching me closely, the trust I had earned from my hard work keeping me out of his direct line of sight.

I had been keeping to the rowdier side of town, finding the hunting spots more abundant and quick than the ones my siblings preferred closer to the tourist areas. I had taken notice of a subway stop just a block from the alley I had frequented, always curious about what it would be like to ride one. So, deciding I had nothing better to do but kill some time, I bought a ticket.

It was the first time I had interacted with a human outside of intending to kill them. It was easier than I had imagined. They had ogled me a bit, a bit taken surprised by my enhanced looks, striking features. But being strange was common in this area, so they didn't even take in the bright red eyes or tattered clothes as out of place. I got on the car without a second glance in my direction. I was just another passerby.

It was one of my more reckless and painful memories that had surfaced, triggered by the long train taking off on its route around the city.

_ Lights on the subway car flickered as it sped through the brick tunnel, the rough sounds of the car moving under the bustling city echoed in my ears. It was packed that day, commuters bustling about as they eagerly waited to get to their stop to go home for the evening. I turned my head to the person next to me, their arm wrapped around my shoulders casually. A mop of messy black hair covered the top of his blurred face. An odd feeling flopped around in my stomach when I looked at him. _

_ There was a concert that night, one that we had traveled to this city to see. A sense of fear resonated in the teenage me, glancing down at the phone in my lap to make sure I didn't have a missed call. What if they found out I had lied? The thought ate away at me. The boy who made me feel weird patted my shoulder. "Hey, just relax. We're going to have the time of our lives, babe." _

_ I wanted to believe everything that came out of his mouth. I threw the phone back into my purse. Pecking the guy on the cheek. The strange feeling flaring to life even stronger than before. _

I had assumed that whoever the hell took me on that subway ride, was someone I had the total hots for. It was just an inkling though, the feeling it stirred in my chest at recollection felt wrong and strange. One I wanted to forget and rid myself of. It didn't fit in this world. But I still held on to the torn piece of paper. That subway ride was like a small victory of mine, a small slice of independence I had greedily taken.

Lastly, there was an item that held no significant ties to memory. Rather, it served more as an enigma of my past life than a helpful clue.

A pearl ring.

I had been wearing it when I woke up to this life. The only thing I had on me other than the shirt on my back.

I had hoped it was some clue to the past, a trigger into the lost world of my thoughts like the other items. But no luck had come from it. It was just a stupid ring.

But I couldn't bring myself to let go of it, it was  _ truly  _ the only thing I had of my past life. The one I didn't remember practically at all. Having snippets of family movie night, dysfunctional holiday dinners, and reckless vacationing didn't count as the ring did. There was nothing to grasp onto in those hazy memories. But the ring- it had so much potential to be a key to something real.

I simply didn't know what. But I didn't give up in believing that it could.

I slipped it on my right ring finger, the fit snug and perfect. It felt natural as if it were always meant to sit there. I rubbed over the silver band with my thumb, contemplating with sadness on what I was to do next.

I stuffed the things back into the chest, taking out one shirt from the pile and switching it out with the one I had on- a tattered maroon Henley- I had worn it to rags. The new shirt had a slash or two at the V-neck collar, but it was in otherwise perfect condition. The once dark black logo of ACDC had long since faded away on the front of the grey shirt, but it was still in better condition than the other ones I had. I slipped on the leather jacket I had nicked from a thrift store a few weeks ago.

With one last glance at the room behind me, I made my way back to the main building slowly, not quite ready to face the rest of my coven. I had to talk to Diego, but the pride swelling in my chest was something I didn't want to swallow. Not after the harsh berating I had given him earlier.

But as my gaze settled on the now extinguished furnace in the pit, the stench of burning venom now gone, I forced myself to. I needed to do it, I wasn't going to make it back. With a sigh I ascended the stairs, taking my time to make sure my approaching presence was known. I could hear the sudden sound of hushed curses and the bustling of the vampires above trying to form their line.

Opening the basement door, I threw on my best face of usual indifference, hiding away the vulnerability I felt in that moment. I took in the sight of the perfectly straight row of vampires, all varying in height but each stiff and perfectly placed in their form.

I had been a stickler for perfection. It only took a few limbs to be torn off for them to get it right in the beginning.

I walked over to the first in line, lowest in rank, meeting the male's eye evenly as I studied him. Jack. He faltered in his stare, the fear I had instilled him less than 24 hours ago still fresh in his mind. I grinned at the look in his eye, though it didn't entice any true thrill in me. I felt like a stranger in my own body as if the reality of the next 72 hours pressed on my shoulders like a ton of bricks. I couldn't manage to feel anything but the sheer indifference for what they did.

I moved on from Jack, making my way down the line slowly as I took in the many faces I had watched after all these months, many of which I didn't even know the name of. Just another reckless newborn who'd be replaced by a few new faces when they would inevitably misstep.

I only spared the effort in getting to know the top ranks of the coven, currently sitting at four including myself after the death of Noah, those who had survived the longest thus far. The youngest being four months, a scrawny brunette named Kristie. She caused trouble here and there with her little cronies, usually amongst the followers of the next oldest.

Raoul was a scoundrel, constantly stirring up trouble with his little group of devoted followers. The most foolish of newborns always took to following after him, and they were always to fall for the blame for any of his schemes. He had met many lost fights with me for all the nonsense he had started, but because of the favor Riley held for him, he never got off with more than a limb or two being taken away as punishment.

I frowned at the realization that I wouldn't get the chance to kill him if he messed up after tonight. That would fall to Diego, the last vampire standing at the end of the line.

As I came to stand before him I couldn't manage to keep the fake dark grin I had been holding. I let it fall into the frown that genuinely tugged at my lips. He wore a frown of his own, one that would forever be burned into my brain. I wanted to take my hands and force it up into a makeshift smile. It bothered me. But seeing the look in his eye, the stifled anger and bitterness he still held there for me, I backed away and turned to regard the rest of the group before I let it get under my skin.

If I lingered there with him any longer I wasn't going to be accountable for the fight I knew would ensue. I didn't want my last night to be spent making him hate me more. He'd have too much on his plate to be bothered with that resentment.

I was met by an array of eighteen pairs of eyes, colors ranging from dim reds to the darkest black, all waiting for my orders.

I evened my glare once again.

"As of tonight, you'll be following orders from someone else," I said, tone even and free of any emotion. I glanced to the dark-headed boy to the right of me, hoping to convey even the slightest bit of an apology in a milliseconds glance, before gesturing for him to step forward.

He furrowed his brow in confusion of where this was going, but complied anyway with the order, taking a step out from the line hesitantly.

"From here on out until ordered otherwise, Diego will be in charge."

Murmurs erupted from the gathered newborns, words of confusion and shock at the news filled the air before I cleared my throat in warning. Silence filled the room once again a moment later.

I gave them a stern look, the seriousness of the situation slowly soaking in as they realized I wasn't joking. I looked to Diego, the floor was now officially his.

Diego looked lost for words. A sheep surrounded by starved wolves.

He hadn't expected this. Not now.

I approached him again, for one last time. I rested my hand on his shoulder, gripping it tightly as I looked into his eyes deeply. Trying for the final time to tell him my apology. The look of confusion on his face faded into a sober one, before being replaced with a sad smile as he finally understood. He knew what I was going to do.

"Don't screw this up, D," I said, using the nickname the rest of the coven had taken to calling him. I had never used it, it had always felt wrong. But the look in his eye at my calling him that was worth it. He patted my shoulder back. Gripping it firmly. He raised a brow, the smile he so often wore now back again, even if it were for the briefest of moments.

"I won't. You'll be back in no time, Seph."

I wanted so badly to believe his words.

But they were too good to be true.

We both knew it.

* * *

It was a short run to the city of Port Angeles, the time between the distances being filled with the exhilaration of being able to run top speed for the first time, for as long as I wanted.

There was limited space to move about unseen in Seattle. But in the expansive lush forests of the state, there was an unlimited possibility.

I even scaled a tree in under a second, knocking it down with a punch as I jumped down from its peak. Just for the hell of it.

I'd never felt so alive.

It was half-past nine o'clock when I made it to the city center, walking along the main streets as I tried to assess my surroundings. Looking for the perfect place to feed.

I wandered around for a half-hour before stumbling upon a bustling bar along the harbor, the loud sounds of the live band playing 80's rock songs echoing through the streets. College kids and young adults flooded the place.

It was the perfect spot to find my next meal.

Glancing at my outfit, the tattered band tee, leather jacket, black ripped skinny jeans and converse made me blend right in. My mouth pooled with venom at the jolt of excitement that ran down my spine at the hunt that laid ahead of me.

I got in the bar with zero hesitation from the bouncer. One flash of my bright and intoxicating smile had the poor guy waving the cover fee altogether, telling me it was "lady's night" and to enjoy myself. It didn't go unnoticed by the group of girls behind me in line as they scoffed when he charged them the full five-dollar cover.

I laughed in glee at the sight before me when I entered the packed bar.

The place was lit dimly, save for the glittering disco ball that hung over the crowded dance floor in front of the stage at the right of the room. A multicolored light hit the ball as it spun, sending all colors of the rainbow splashing across every surface. A set of pool tables were at the opposite corner, where the older crowd of young professionals unwound from their long days at the office.

The left side of the room was dedicated to the long bar, shelves of countless liquor bottles filling every inch of the wall behind the sticky wooden bar top. I eyed an opening at the end, where there was little focus and away from the dance floor. I took a seat, needing only to flash a smile at the middle-aged woman behind the bar for a martini to appear in front of me in a minute's time. Not that I could even drink it. I simply enjoyed the look of it in my hand.

The tricks and allure of vampires weren't effective on  _ just _ the opposite sex.

I enjoyed just sitting there for a bit, watching the scene of sloppy, drunk college kids trying to keep with the rhythm of Blue Suede's "Hooked on a Feeling." It was a hilarious sight.

My entertainment was somewhat short-lived, however, when my meal came strolling through the door.

I turned my attention back to the bartender as he came to take a seat next to me, the lingering of his eyes on my body not missed. I pretended to ponder deeply over my drink, dragging my finger lazily over the rim. I glanced at him, eyes hooded as I looked through my lashes into his stare.

He was middle-aged, maybe late 40s, and relatively handsome. Generic cheating husband looking to spend his days chasing women half his age, the ring on his finger clear as day. But he was what I was hoping for to come crawling into this place. A man of his age stuck out like a sore thumb in a college bar like this one, his intentions completely obvious as he hungrily eyeballed my much younger figure.

_ Pig. _

"If you take a picture it'll last longer," I said, adding a flirty edge to my voice as I looked at him pointedly. Using the heightened traits and appearances that came with this life was almost instinctual, kicking into full gear when luring in prey. We were designed perfectly to ensnare the starstruck humans in to our traps.

"Maybe I should, such a pretty little girl like you only comes around once in a lifetime."

He fell so easily for it.

He smirked, shifting his body to move closer to me. He reached his hand out to graze my thigh, testing the waters with his advances until he took the hint I was willing to let his exploration continue.

His hand came to rest on my hip. I kept my grip tight on the still full martini in my hand, restraining the urge to rip out his jugular right here and now, the smell of his blood potent in the air as he became more excited by the second. I gave a teasing laugh.

"Well, if I hadn't already paid for this one, I would have asked you to buy me a drink," I said slyly, the smile I gave wasn't one of forced flirtation. It was one of the pure excitement and eagerness I felt at thinking of how close I was to drinking my fill. Oh, he'd certainly buy me a drink.

Simply not one of liquor.

He glanced around the room, looking to see if anyone was watching. He settled his perverted gaze back on my body again before speaking, not bothering to even hide his ogling.

"Why don't we get out of here? I'm sure I could do something really nice for you," he suggested, trying to attempt his best sexy voice. I would have grimaced. But I was too eager to get this show on the road.

He laid down a twenty on the bar to pay for the beer he didn't even touch, too entranced by the person next to him, before he led the way out of the place. He started to head back to the center of town, but I had other ideas. I hung back a step, glancing back at the docks down a block. He looked confused as to why I stopped.

"I have a better idea," I said mischievously, glancing back at the docks. I raised my brow, "How 'bout it  _ sailor?" _

He all but ran the block down to the water.

Now, this wasn't my usual cup of tea. Most commonly I would spend my hunts dumpster diving and waiting to catch the perfect prey in surprise, but that didn't mean I didn't like to have fun every once in a while. Testing just how strong the enhanced allure of vampires was to humans.

This was one of those instances.

I had to force myself from recoiling as he all but latched himself to my body, wasting no time in latching his scruffy face onto mine. I allowed the act for a moment, taking the distraction to listen in to my surroundings, ensuring we would be completely undisturbed before I went in for the kill.

I slowly made my way down his neck to the base, savoring the smell of the blood pumping through his veins fast and hot. It was simply too irresistible to wait any longer. With a grin and eager growl, I wrapped my hands around his neck, snapping the bones in under a second before he could process what was happening, and I craned his neck to the side as I bit into the skin there at the base. Greedily taking in the sweet nectar his life's blood provided.

And just as it began, it ended all too soon. I let the body fall limp to ground of the wooden docks as I wiped the spilled drops of blood from my lips. I released a satisfied sigh.

After the last twenty-four hours, I  _ really _ needed that.

I looked down to the corpse below me for a moment, studying the look of shock frozen forever on his stiff face, eyes still wide. I bent down, closing them before rifling through his pockets, finding what I looked for in the inside of his blazer.

A wallet full of cash.

I pocketed the money before placing the leather wallet back into the pocket. Scanning my surroundings, making sure once again that the coast was free, I threw the body into the water.

I left the docks with a full stomach and satisfied smirk plastered on my face.

I had the rest of the night to enjoy the small city. I didn't know what to see first.

So, I took to seeing it all.

Passing street after street, I enjoyed the simplicity of gazing into shop windows at the different displays. Toy shops, clothing boutiques, jewelry stores. They were all interesting to see, and it kept my mind from roaming to much darker things. I wanted to avoid those thoughts for as long as possible. I wasn't ready to face what was coming tomorrow. So, I kept window shopping through the town.

It was around midnight when I felt their presence behind me.

I had noticed them when turning a new block, the distinct lack of a pulse and smell sent my mind into a frenzy. There were vampires in Port Angeles. There were humans in the vicinity, leaving the bars along the street, so I had the main road to stick to without a confrontation. None of us would dare attack with witnesses around.

But as the main street began to clear the further down I walked, the greater my unease grew. What would happen when it was just the three of us alone?

_ Were they Cullens? Had I entered their lands without realizing it? _

I braced myself for the confrontation that would ensue in mere moments as I rounded the corner and into a dimly lit alleyway. Away from human eyes. They followed, coming to a stop at the mouth of the short and narrow passageway.

I had crouched into a defensive stance, the growl emitting from my chest releasing on instinct as I warned them to back away. If they came any closer I wasn't going to just sit back and take it.

I looked to the two, a male and female, both taking me off guard in appearance and body language. It made my apprehension spike, even more, when I noticed that their eyes matched mine- bright red.

Not yellow.

But what did that mean? There were more vampires outside our clan and the Cullens? I furrowed my brow at the thoughts, which was a mistake, as the male took this as a chance to speak. I didn't want to hear what he had to say.

The male raised a hand in mock surrender, both placing their hands' palms up in front of them for me to see- they posed no threat. The monster inside me relaxed a bit at that like it was a universal sign for "okay, they're cool". I shook my head, returning to my crouch. No thank you. I didn't trust it one bit, even as my instincts told me otherwise. I couldn't risk it.

Maybe they had some hidden abilities like the Cullens that made a person let their guard down. Or something crazy like that. It sounded about right.

"Hey now, we didn't mean to scare you," the man said slowly, calmly. I scowled deeper, narrowing my eyes as I ground my teeth in irritation.

"Then why approach me at all?" I bit out, mustering the best warning tone I could. I instantly regretted wearing my leather jacket, itching to show off my scars. They were meant to be used in these exact situations. I was not one to be messed with, and I wanted them to know it.

"We were simply passing through the area when we caught your scent. We figured we should check it out."

It was the woman who spoke this time, daring a step forward as she spoke. She made sure to keep her hands out in front of her. There was a look in her eye that made me feel weird, something about it was similar to the way that Diego had looked at me on many occasions. But she didn't know me, how could she feel anything close to kindness towards me?

I rolled my eyes. Lies. why would any remotely sound-minded vampire think it a good idea to go seek another one out? Bad idea. There was something else motivating them, I could feel it.

"Don't bother lying. I'm not really in the mood for reindeer games," I bit out, unable to help the sarcasm that seeped through my voice. I was becoming more on edge with every moment that passed.

That earned a laugh from the male, the calm on his face shifting to one of pure mirth. I scowled further. I wasn't joking. The woman next to him cracked a smile too, eyes shining in her silent humor as she dared yet another step forward. He followed suit after her.

"Look, doll. If I wanted to hurt 'cha, I would have by now," he said, the humor he felt ringing through his words as he laughed them out.

I frowned, shifting my stance to a more relaxed one as his words soaked in. Perhaps he was being truthful, at least somewhat. I couldn't deny my own curiosity about the pair, having never met others like myself outside my coven. Questions burned at my mind the longer I thought about it. Maybe they knew the Cullens, or at least something useful I didn't know already.

We stood there in silence for a moment longer as I turned the decisions over in my head before finally relaxing my stance completely, standing upright. Taking care to mimic what they did, keeping my hands out in front of me to show I wasn't a threat. Or that I wasn't going to attack first anyway.

A smug smile tugged at the male's lips as I finally relaxed. He moved forward with the woman close by his side. I noticed the way she was tucked behind him, even if only slightly, her body moving perfectly in step with his as they approached. The strange behavior didn't go unnoticed.

Eventually, we were face to face, a good yard between us remained by the time I had fully relaxed, the pair coming to a halt in front of me. I studied them closely. The male was tall, with a muscular build. His deep-set red eyes were the stand out feature of his pale face, a crown of sandy hair covered his head in a short fashion.

The woman beside him was petite in size, her features clearly of beauty from even before her change, the venom only enhancing them more. She had large, doe-like eyes that made her small form look like she was almost glowing. Her dark brown hair was cut into a blunt bob, meeting her shoulders in light waves.

Perhaps the feature that was most noticeable to me was the age that shown clearly through their red eyes, their confidence and body language another factor in confirming that maturity. They had been around for a very long time, they knew what they were doing. I shifted awkwardly in my place, the fact unsettling to me as they studied me closely with their critical eyes.

The woman spoke again, finally breaking the stiff silence. An introduction.

"My name's Charlotte," she said sweetly, the twang of her voice made the melodic sound come out even more beautifully as if she were singing every word. I had noticed the accent before, the southern twang far heavier in the male next to her. She nodded to him, "This is Peter." He gave a wink and wiggle of the eyebrows in greeting.

It was hard not to crack a small grin.

I hesitated in my own introduction, though. How much did I need to tell them? Riley hadn't prepared me for this.

I managed a small nod, allowing the small amused smile to linger on my lips a bit longer, "Persephone."

The most amused look washed over Peter's face. He looked as if he were holding in the largest laugh like an inside joke had been told but the only one who knew it was him. "No shit you don't say"

The confusion at his reaction was clear on both Charlotte and I's faces. But he gave no further explanation, simply shrugging it off like it wasn't important. If you didn't get it, you just didn't get it.

"Look, I think it's fair that we don't beat around the bush here. We scented your presence in the city a few hours ago and decided to check it out, but we also have some information you might be interested in learning," he said, giving me an even look, the humorous tone taking on a sincerer one. Like it was of great importance that I go with them, hear whatever they had to say.

They knew something I didn't. The curiosity gnawed at me.

_ Did they know something about the Cullens? _

I narrowed my eyes at him, looking for any sign of deception in him or Charlotte. They both wore only looks of sincerity and slight concern in turn.

I was either an idiot or simply reckless with the threat of my agenda looming over me. I was willing to do just about anything. I was going to die anyway.

Why not test fate further?

So, I accepted their offer. As shady as it was. But there was one condition they had to agree to.

"Not here, I want this to be discussed somewhere more visible," I said, receiving nods of understanding and acceptance of my conditions. We strode down another block to a late-night diner, the place nearly empty save for two truckers sitting at the bar.

We slid into a booth in the back corner, ordering only coffee to keep the facade that we were just normal people meeting up for coffee. It was a tense ten minutes between our agreement and settling in, the waitress setting down the piping mugs of hot joe on the table. As she left us, Peter spoke first when he was sure she was out of earshot.

Nothing could have prepared me for the words that came out of his mouth.

"So, we know what you're up to," he said, mindlessly fiddling with the drink in his hands as he spoke. His tone matter of fact and free of bullshit as he eyed me.

I blanched at him, eyes darting between the two across the booth from me as I stiffened in shock. How could they possibly know? I tried to play it off the best I could, but my flinch had already given me away, red-handed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, clearing my throat as I tried to rid my voice of the uneasiness lodged in it. It didn't help at all.

He gave me a pointed look, one that said  _ seriously?  _ He cocked a brow.

"Are you sure about that, Hun?" He asked incredulously, not buying it for a second. I didn't offer another word though, it wasn't a smart idea to run my mouth just yet. I wanted to see just how much they knew. Charlotte rolled her eyes before elbowing Peter in the ribs, earning a faux "ouch" from him as he flinched away from her touch.

"Ugh, just get on with it already," she sighed exasperatedly, though a small teasing smile graced her lips. I grinned at the exchange, stifling my laughter. They were quite a funny pair when you set aside the fact they were dangerous vampires. Peter rolled his eyes back at her as if they were a pair of five-year-olds bickering. He flicked his wrist at her, shooing her away.

"Okay, fine," he said before looking back at me with the most serious look I had seen on his face thus far. The light and humorous look gone from his eyes with just a flick of a switch. It was odd how easily they made me forget what they were, what I was, with the carefree way they acted. He continued, voice even and straight to the point, "I'll just cut to the chase, then.

We know what you're up to, where you're going. I won't go into all the boring details of exactly  _ how  _ we know, we just do. And let me just say that it is a  _ terrible _ idea," he deadpanned, shaking his head eagerly. I could only offer a blink in response to such a revelation. What the hell? How was that possible?

Before I could ask any of the many thoughts bubbling in my mind, he continued.

"First of all, you've been severely misled," he said, voice going back to its more even and casual tone. The point confused me further, how could he know so much about me? The thought occurred to me that maybe, like the yellow eyes, he had a gift of foresight. It sent a chill down my spine. I managed to get a word in.

"What are you talking about? I don't know what you  _ think  _ you know about me, or what I'm doing but I'm sure you're  _ very _ wrong. You don't know me, how could you possibly expect me to believe you," I said, flabbergasted as I looked between the two of them. Eyes wide in my disbelief in confusion. I felt a knot of emotion bubble in my chest, the desire to become defensive and lash out against the pair was inching to get to the forefront of my mind.

Charlotte noticed my patience wearing thin, taking this as a chance to lay her right arm across the tabletop, her eyes never leaving mine. She raised a brow in a challenge to my words.

"You want some proof?" she said quietly, before pushing back the sleeve of her denim jacket up to the middle of her forearm, exposing her pale wrist.

Her mangled, scar-ridden wrist.

I stared openly, wide-eyed in disbelief at the sight before me. I couldn't take my eyes off the scars, the ones that matched my own. Peter also lifted his arm to lay it like Charlotte's was, lifting his own sleeve up to reveal his wrist, too. The marble skin was in a similar mangled state as his partners.

I took the information in, glancing down then at my own hand clutching the mug of coffee. After a second of hesitation, I pushed back my own sleeve, revealing the scattered, shiny crescent moons that littered the appendage. I swallowed the venom that pooled in my mouth from the heavy emotions I was now feeling.

My pleading look was all Peter needed to continue. I believed him now.

"I don't know what all you have been told about our kind, but I assure you. It was purposefully lied about," he said, tone sober and edging on a dark note. Something hazy swam in his eyes as he looked practically through me, but I knew that he was recalling something dark in his mind. A dark memory.

His grinning lips had turned to a deep-set scowl as he continued, "I want to make sure you know the truth, if anything. There's no use being kept in the dark, it will only get you killed running around naively." He spared a glance at Charlotte, her eyes swimming with a similar haze as she smiled sadly at him, gripping his hand in her own tightly.

I contemplated his offer, the valuable information he promised laid out before me. Did I take it, and believe it word for word? Or did I leave then and there?

My curiosity got the worst of me, the similarities I saw in myself and the pair stirring something in my gut. Telling me to take their offer.

So, I did.

We exchanged words back and forth for what felt like hours, me giving them what information I had been taught of our kind- the need for blood to survive, the way our strength faded as we grew older, the deathly effects of sunlight- and as I ran through the list they would critique each one, giving their own experiences and knowledge on them if incorrect. They had even confessed to their similar upbringings, not going into detail much, but making sure to stress that it was not a life that all of our kind behaved like. Most were nomads, like themselves, as they had explained.

My fear of the sun sent Peter into a cackling fit, the sheer hilarity at my words shining brightly in his eyes as he took a while to calm down enough to talk.

"No, darlin'. Trust me, when you step out into the sun you'll only  _ wish  _ it would kill you," he laughed, eyes crinkled in his mirth as he waved off my words. He backtracked a bit, adding in, "Well, maybe not. All the girls seem to like what it does. Us guys, not so much."

Charlotte giggled at the words, nodding in agreement. I didn't get it, the joke lost on me, but their laughter was infectious. I gave a small smile of my own.

We had talked about every possible fact of what it meant to be a vampire- the science and theory behind the functions of our enhanced bodies- but there was still much we all had avoided. It was like the big elephant in the room, the air stuffy and thick from skirting around it. I knew they were waiting for me to bring it up.

It was a private coven matter I was speaking of, after all. What if I blew the cover? But the thoughts passed quickly as I realized-  _ fuck  _ the cover. I had been lied to, manipulated. And I had let it happen. Deep down there had always been an inkling of suspicion, one that I had always squashed down as quickly as it surfaced. I had been living in a minefield of ticking time bombs, the slightest sense of doubt in my purpose would have gotten me killed. I had known that.

So, I had kept silent. Willingly ignorant.

But I didn't want that anymore. Not with all the newly revealed truths eating away at me.

I fingered the rim of the white mug, gazing deeply into the brown liquid within as I spoke, not wanting to lose the courage I had built to bring it up. My voice was quiet, low enough that only a vampire of our hearing ability could pick up the sound.

"You said you knew what I was 'up to.' And  _ where  _ I was going," I hesitated in continuing, the territory touchy for me. I felt they were bluffing, and I hoped I would catch them in their lie. I glanced at the pair now, both looking at me attentively, hanging on to each word. With Charlotte's nod of encouragement to continue, I spoke again.

"If what you claim is true- that you know- why do you think it is such a terrible idea?" I asked, my brows knit in my confusion. To be honest, I didn't even know if I wanted to go to Forks anymore. I was still sorting through my feelings about Riley and the lies he had told. If so much of what I thought I knew was false, was all of it? Even the story about his coven being destroyed?

He sighed, contemplating for a moment. Thinking how to best go about this. How much he should say. Finally, he looked at me, dead in the eye.

"You're going to go stir up trouble with the Cullens," he said, matter-of-factly, like it was as simple as saying the sky was blue.

And there it was- he nailed it on the head.

A breath of air caught in my throat, confirmation enough that he indeed knew my plans. He knew too much, too much for him to be bluffing. His presence here wasn't a coincidence. It was enough to confirm for me that, indeed, things with Riley were officially over. As far as I was concerned.

_ What will I do now?  _ I thought, the fact that I was now on my own, alone in the world fell upon me like a ton of bricks. Everything I knew had been swept out from under me.

But he didn't stop there with his conversation, only grinning further as he knew he had me pinned.

"That little mission wouldn't end well for you, trust me. But not because they would viciously attack you, no, quite the contrary."

I looked at him puzzled, the shock at the extent of their knowledge still fresh in my mind, now muddled with the confusion at what he meant by that statement. I still hadn't gotten over the worry from my new status as  _ alone,  _ I couldn't process it all.

First, he said the sun doesn't fry us, now he wanted me to believe that the yellow-eyed vampires weren't dangerous? I frowned deeper. He held back a laugh at the expression on my face, the amusement clear in his eyes. He loved to burst bubbles.

"The Cullens live a life very... different from most of our kind, one that prevents them from doing such heinous things like killing you on the spot. Things that, naturally, vampires would never do. Everything from their social behaviors to the way which they feed is different. Abnormal.

So, while they wouldn't slaughter you without a second's thought, they would still be very wary of your presence. Their unique talents, ones I'm sure you're aware of, grant them an insight that I'm sure has already prepared them for your arrival."

I was confused even further if that were even possible. I slumped back into the booth, my posture slouched as I sat there mulling over the riddled words of Peter. Dumbfounded.

I couldn't decide if he made me more afraid of the coven of strange vampires in Forks, or if I was comforted by the idea that they weren't hostile. But the fact that he said they already  _ knew  _ about me coming?

I wasn't going to go there anymore, not with the intervention taking place before me. Would they come after me still, even if I decided not to go?

I was lost, for the first time in my life. I didn't know what to do.

"Hold the phone- I'm so confused now. Do they know about me? But after what you've told me tonight, I don't even think I want to go! I have no purpose to anymore! Are they still going to come after me if I don't go?

You just laid out tons of information that all but swiped me clean of everything I thought I knew. But apparently, it was all a lie. My very  _ existence  _ is a lie if your words are true. What am I supposed to do now if that's the case? I have nothing, I  _ am  _ nothing. Am I just supposed to aimlessly wander the Earth for an eternity?" I all but yelled hysterically, feeling out of control of my body. Just as my life was now, out of my control.

Peter just grinned. The look of amusement on Charlotte's face didn't go unnoticed, either.

"It's simple. Do what you were originally set out to do, only don't spy on them and do all the other nonsense you were. Basically, just go down there. See what's up. They'll come to you."

"What the  _ fuck  _ does that even mean? Why the  _ Hell  _ would I do that? Enough with the cryptic shit!" I growled at him that time, eyes ablaze with the fury boiling my undead heart. My fingers dug tightly into the wooden table. I could hear the dark wood begin to splinter under the unrelenting pressure I was applying. He was being no help!

The pair shared a glance for a moment before Peter spoke again. It irritated me, the obviousness that they knew something I didn't. Something they didn't want me to know, even though they had so willingly given me information up until now. Why not whatever they were hiding?

Were they going to just up and leave me in shambles, after destroying the world I thought I knew? Peter then gave a small, sad smile. The look didn't reach his eyes. They still bore the irritating twinkle of " _ I know something you don't." _ I wanted to poke them out with a stick, it pissed me off.

"I'm not telling you what you should do. I don't work that way. I'm just giving you some suggestions, a little nudge in the right direction if you choose to believe me. Which, I highly suggest you do. I tend to know my shit pretty well," he smirked at his last words, the glimmer in his eyes all but growing brighter.

"If you trust my word enough to believe everything I've said before, you could take a leap of faith and trust me with this now. All you have to do is try. It's not like they'd kill you. At least, not on purpose," he said, eying me with that irritating look. The shit-eating grin plastered on his smug face. I rolled my eyes. But I listened.

"You'll thank me later. I can promise you that for sure, damn straight."

I huffed then, my last and poorest effort to argue anymore. I was spent. Emotionally and mentally. I had a lot on my mind, a lot of new thoughts and emotions I was feeling, things I had never encountered before. It was weird to think on my own. To stray from the narrow path I had been stuck on for the past year.

It irritated me that I liked it.

Finally, after minutes of us sitting there in silence as the pair waited for me to make up my mind, I sat up, propping my elbows on the table as I laid my chin in my hand. I looked between the two critically, one last time before sighing.

"Fine. But if I get shred to pieces and blown to bits, I'm coming back to haunt your ass."

The peals of their laughter still rung in my ears hours after we had parted ways as they left to continue their journey north, myself heading south once again.

I didn't know what I was doing, hell, I wasn't even sure I trusted their words completely. They could have been sending me to my ultimate death, I didn't just the fact that they had approached me, unafraid and more civil than any vampire I had met, made me believe. Even if it was in the tiniest bit.

They gave me hope, for the first time in my life.

It was enough, for now.


	5. Fear the Reaper

It was an hour until sunrise when I had finally made it to the outskirts of the tiny town of Forks, having decided to stay back a few miles within the deep forest of the Olympic National Park. I still wasn't sure what I was walking into, or if I even wanted to follow through with the plan at all.

For all I knew, it could be a death trap.

But at the same time, the odd feeling the pair of nomads had left me with still clung heavily on my shoulders, and in a seemingly good way. I knew it meant that I had trust in them, something I had never felt before in this life.

And it scared the shit out of me.

Though I knew I trusted their word on many things, there was still one thing, in particular, I wanted to test out first. Something that I still couldn't believe, and knew I just had to see it out for myself. If they had told the truth about it, then surely everything else they said was true too.

I wanted to see if vampires burned in the sunlight.

So, that was how I found myself during the early hours of that morning, pacing back and forth safe within the shadows of a cave tucked beneath the side of a mountain as I psyched myself into testing the theory. The instinctual fear of burning to a crisp was overpowering my curiosity. What if I burned? Would it be instant? Slow, and painful?

But the opposite question plagued me even deeper - What if it didn't kill me?

The sun had long already risen, the impossibly tall cedar trees casting beautiful streams of light across the forest floor, the lush vegetation washed in hues of red and orange. It was beautiful to behold from within the mouth of the cave, a sight I had shied away from over the past year in fear of the horrors my creator had told me. I was eager to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, something I wasn't even sure my cold body could feel, but I wanted to at least try it.

Peter had sworn, laughed at my disbelief even, that I would be fine stepping out in the daylight as if I were the only idiot in the world who didn't know such an obvious fact. I could hear him in the back of my mind, taunting me to do it.

_Don't be a wuss. Just do it._

I slowly made my way to the edge of the cave's shadow, my feet stopping a mere inch from where the darkness ended and the light began. I closed my eyes, letting go a shaky breath. I ran my finger across the pearl ring, trying to find comfort in the object.

I had to do this, there was no getting around it. I wanted so badly to prove that there was hope.

And without another thought, before I talked myself out of it once more, I propelled myself out into the daylight, the sudden speed of my step sending fallen leaves stirring across the forest floor before I skidded to a stop several yards away from the cave.

I stood there, completely still. And I waited. Waited for the pain to overtake me, turning my flesh to ash.

But the pain never came.

There wasn't a word to describe it, the feeling of the sun on my pale skin. I relished in the moment, taking in the peace I felt. I didn't dare open my eyes, not for a long moment out of fear that once I did, this dream would end.

I let out a choked laugh, the sheer disbelief of what I was experiencing causing a grin to spread wide on my face. I couldn't believe it. I peeked open an eye, then the other after a second of standing there on the forest floor, a ray of sunlight beaming down on me from the canopy above.

I was thrilled as I took in the forest around me, the beauty of the natural world a stark contrast to the dark, shadowed world of the bustling city I had been raised in.

But my excitement came to a sudden halt when I caught a glimpse of something shimmering at my side.

I spun instantly, suddenly on alert.

_What was that?_

I glanced over my shoulder in panic, my instincts going haywire as my mind began to fog.

_There it was again!_

Again, I spun, the shine of something odd caught in my peripherals once more.

It wasn't until I crouched down into a defensive position, my hand splayed out below me that it hit me. My fear was instantly washed away with confusion.

It was my hand. It was.. glowing?

I brought it closer to my face, flipping it over as I watched the strange phenomena happen before my eyes.

No, I was shimmering. Depending on the way the sunlight hit my skin, the pattern and direction of the light reflecting off the hard surface changed. I was mesmerized.

Then I remembered what Peter had said, " _Trust me, when you step out into the sun you'll only wish it would kill you," he had laughed, eyes crinkled in his mirth as he waved off my words. He backtracked a bit, adding in, "Well, maybe not. All the girls seem to like what it does. Us guys, not so much."_

I was a walking, talking disco ball.

I fell into a fit of laughter then, the ridiculousness of it all crashing down on me. Of all the things sunlight could do to us, this was what happened?

I stayed there in the sunlight, simply soaking up the glorious rays for what felt like forever, but in reality, was only a short while. That stretched moment of time had gone sour, as the day's revelations made me realize a lot of things that I had avoided thinking about.

For starters, Peter had been right. And truthful. Secondly, that meant I had been clearly lied to. And if this was one of the things I had been kept in the dark about, his second in command, what other parts of this life were I manipulated into not knowing about?

It made my venom boil in anger, the betrayal I felt was still hard to process, and I knew it wasn't something I was going to get over easily or quickly. The scars a constant reminder of what I was, what I was created to do. Or rather, the lack thereof.

Hell, I didn't even know what my _true_ purpose was. I had to assume every story, every mission I had been commanded to do was a lie. What had really happened to Riley that led to him wanting to target the Cullens? Did anything even happen at all?

I had to know the truth, I needed answers.

I wanted my revenge. I wanted Riley's head on a platter for what he put me through, for what he put all of us through.

And there was only one place I had any hope of getting that information from. If Riley was a crook and a lying devil, then that made the Cullens my closest thing to being the exact opposite. My saving grace.

Maybe they were just as bad as the coven I had left behind in Seattle, but maybe they weren't.

The weight of the unknown of what I was going into completely unsettled me.

But I knew I had to do it. It was my only option.

I was going to walk into the lion's den, even if it killed me.

Because if it didn't...

Riley better _run._

* * *

**Third Person POV**

The suffocating tension that had fallen over the Cullen home those few days ago had yet to diminish, the members of the family feeling as though they were all but choking on it. The slightest movement of the seer had their heads turning, watching her closely in case she saw something new, something hopeful.

Or something else that was horribly wrong.

Their mind-reading brother did little to lessen their fears either; the threat upon his beloved, Bella, had taken over his mind completely as he obsessed over what to do about the threat looming over them.

Alice had seen something that night, something completely unexpected. Who could possibly be after them? Let alone Bella, a simple human girl?

The solid details of the vision were few and far between, but there was one image that was clear as day. Unmistakable.

_Snow was blanketing the ground in soft billows of pure white, the crystalized water beautiful in its totality as it covered every inch of the mountain's surface. Trees with evergreen branches laden heavy with snow peppered the clearing, hiding the small area from the ground below. But suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the blinding white snow was soaked- ruined- with a flowing crimson river._

_A body lay at the center, one unmistakable in appearance, the once flowing and beautiful chestnut hair of the girl matted with the blood, her pale face whiter than ever before as her life-force drained from her. Looming over was a man, a vampire. His face blurred but haunting, he had been the one to do it. He had killed Bella Swan. His companion, a single figure hidden amongst the tall trees emerged then, racing forward at an impossible speed to tackle the demon in the clearing._

_But they were too late; a flurry of gold and a piercing scream echoed, so loud as if it would have been heard around the world before total darkness overcame the haunting scene._

_Suddenly the world blurred, shifting and morphing into a different world- a different season. A land that was familiar, but changing. It was the same vampire from the clearing, the one that had hidden amongst the pines. They were alone, navigating through the lush forest of the land, stopping and stumbling every few miles, as if they were contemplating something._ _Making a decision._

_It became clear that this event was before the horrific night on the mountain, the weather much warmer, the trees still full in their liveliness. The warm colors contrasting hauntingly against the pallor of the girl's body as she made hast in her journey._

_A mission._

_One that, no doubt, would lead to the untimely death of Edward's human girl._

_The girl came to a stop once reaching the edge of the wood, abruptly stilling as she took in the world around her- assessing. Taking in every detail._

_The familiarity of the scene finally came together, recognizable- the shrubbery and tall, strong cedars dotted the same forest that the family entered nearly every single day._

_The girl was waiting, watching the home of the Cullen family._

_A spy._

The second half of her vision had worried her and had become the focal point of the message for everyone who heard it. The vampire that was to see them- Edward was adamant on saying that it was a Volturi spy- was their biggest threat.

If they were involved with the vampire on the mountain, they were just as likely to do the deed as well, he had rationalized. The family all agreed to the theory, even their parents reluctantly agreed. They had little else to go off of. They had no other sibilance to an enemy or any coven that wanted to do them harm.

They braced themselves for the stranger's arrival- Alice had seen it would be the midmorning of the coming Saturday. Everyone, even Rosalie, worked to form a strategy to ambush- or perhaps, at the least, confront the stranger about the meaning of their presence.

Nothing meant more to them than the safety of their family, and they would do whatever it took to keep that family alive.

They had misstepped with James, they wouldn't do it again.

So that was how they found themselves, early that Saturday morning, grouped into the large living room on the ground floor of the family home.

Edward hadn't let Bella out of his sight since the vision, his worry sending everyone else further on edge. Many argued that it wasn't the best idea, but he insisted. He wasn't there to protect her when James took her. He wasn't going to mess that up again, he rationalized.

No one could argue against that point.

It was like that they sat, none daring to move as the silence weighed over them like a heavy cloud, watching as the clock ticked away. Closer and closer to the arrival of the newcomer.

Alice had been in a state of complete unrest those few days, her mate unsuccessful in his attempts to lessen her stress and burden of sight. He could only give her the comfort of his touch, wrapping his arms tightly around her petite form in his embrace as they sat on one of the grey couches with the rest of their family.

Edward and Bella sat next to them, Bella's earlier attempts at making small talk had dwindled to silence, the mood was simply too dim to carry a conversation for her sake. They were worried, afraid. It was no use hiding it from her simply to make her comfortable. Esme had brought her tea and biscuits for her to eat breakfast, and as an excuse to busy herself in the nervous mood she was in. Carlisle sat alongside his wife, gently holding her hand in his reassurance.

Rosalie was the worst off out of any of them in dealing with the whole ordeal, her mood sour from the very beginning when Edward had helped Alice explain what she had seen. She had immediately called for the hunting down of the spy that would enter their territory, her fierce devotion to keeping the family safe was one that burned deep within her- she'd rip the vampire limb from limb if she had to.

Though Emmett would never let her even dream of getting close enough to even attempt to touch the stranger.

So, there she stood by the window overlooking the vast backyard- as if glaring holes into the woods where Alice said they would emerge- simmering in her anger. Emmett had given up on trying to coax his mate into sitting down with him, sprawling out on one of the small plush leather armchairs.

This left the one remaining member of their coven, sitting quietly in his lonesome across from his much larger and burly brother. The empath had suffered the greatest during those few days, every surge of emotion from the moment Alice had dropped the flower vase his mind had been in a constant state of a figurative headache. If vampires could even get them.

He had tried to reign in the emotions around him, the initial panic of the situation had caused a fog to cover all of their minds, and he had absorbed most of the chaos, but there was still only so much that could be done to handle the intense emotions of seven other vampires. So after the first night, he had resigned to taking a backseat to the situation, offering his experience and knowledge of handling strategic offensives against the newcomer. Other than that, he stayed silent, preferring to observe and listen.

He trusted Alice and her vision, she would know how to handle the situation when it happened. And he would be there to help, as would the rest of their coven. So, he sat there, gauging the emotions of the room, doing the best he could to keep everyone as close to calm as he could, putting extra emphasis on helping Bella, her anxiousness making her heartbeat dangerously fast.

He'd prefer to not have to think about wanting to kill her during a time like this. It would be highly inappropriate.

It was an hour past sunrise- at the half an hour mark of the vampire's arrival- when Alice began to stir, her movements sharp and full of her nerves as the anticipated event drew near. Suddenly, it was like the room was a live nerve, wired with nervous energy.

Jasper's steady flow of calm did little to lessen the panic in the room.

Everyone had their eyes on Alice, waiting for her to give the go-ahead for them to make their way outside. But as soon as she went to stand up, she faltered.

Her eyes glazed over like she had left this world and entered another, completely unknown to anyone else.

Edward glared daggers at his pixie-like sister as he clung to every thought he read in her mind, both of their faces unreadable. Everyone watched them, waiting for the smallest sign of emotion.

Suddenly Edward stood- his movement so abrupt it scared Bella, sending her scrunching back into the sofa- and he growled at his sister. No one dared move as they watched the exchange, afraid and confused about what was he possibly saw.

Alice had yet to return to reality, her face blank in her daze.

When she did a moment later, she had a strange look in her eye, her lips inching in the slightest upwards in a small grin. She looked at Edward, raising a brow as her small grin turned into an even larger smile as she became more rooted in reality, what she had seen making more and more sense to her. She stood then, a bounce to her toes as she dragged her mate to stand with her.

The rest of the family exchanged looks of confusion, oblivious to what was happening. Edward was staring daggers at Alice, his hands in tight fists at his side as he visibly vibrated in his concealed anger.

Jasper sat up a bit, focusing now on what exactly had shifted between the two talented siblings, his own confusion at the situation made him curious. And also wanting to prevent any breakout of a fight should Edward's mood go even further south. He was in a full rage.

"Alice, that-" Edward said, barely managing to keep his voice even, his words almost a growl, "That _can_ 't be right."

The collective confusion of everyone else skyrocketed as they looked to Alice, wondering what she could have possibly seen. Her expression did little to quell the feeling though, as her look of sheer joy was the exact opposite of what they expected to see when dark events were just over the horizon.

She bounced on her toes happily, the grin on her face looking as though it would splinter her jaw in half it was so large; her movement like that of a hummingbird moving a million times a second. She let out a tickled laugh.

"Edward, I know what I saw. You saw it too!" she exclaimed happily, though her words only sent his scowl deeper on his face.

Bella tentatively reached her hand upwards to her boyfriend's, gently taking his in her own in an attempt to comfort him. He sighed, closing his eyes as he tried to calm himself, he stroked her hand lightly with his thumb as he looked down to her. The hash lines on his face subsiding into a grim frown.

"Alice.. saw something new, about the stranger that is coming here today," he said slowly, trying to piece together what he saw in his sister's mind, the vision was the last thing he had wanted to come from this situation. He spared the quickest glance to his older brother, so quick that it went _mostly_ unnoticed by the others in the room, before glancing back to Bella. He opened his mouth to continue but Alice had enough of his dramatics, cutting him off.

"They're not what we think!" she exclaimed happily, beating Edward to the punch, her joy was like a contrast of night and day with the rest of the room. They looked at her as if she had grown a second head.

Rosalie turned from the window completely then, taking a step towards them, her eyes glowering with her own anger and frustration. She studied the giddy pixie for a moment. "What do you _mean_ not what we think?"

Alice scoffed as if it were the dumbest thing to ask. As if everyone were in the loop.

"There isn't much time now, she'll arrive any second. But, oh! I just can't wait!" She answered excitedly, and simply took her mate's hand in her own and strutted out of the room, leading the way out into the back lawn. No one had a choice but to simply follow, reluctantly. They were all confused, more so now than ever.

But they knew Alice to never be wrong, so they went with her word. No matter how odd it might be in the moment.

They all walked to the outskirts of the main property, stopping only a few yards from the tree line, where Alice said the vampire would appear. They had discussed at great length of how they would position themselves, a neat curved half-circle with each pair tucked close together, Bella strategically placed behind them all, her safety the number one priority. If they wanted to get to her, they'd have to take down the entire coven first.

Alice stood to the left side with her mate, tightly tucked under his arm as she rested her head on his broad chest, a happy grin on her face. She looked to the others, making sure all was right according to their plans.

"Remember, _don't_ make any quick movements or threatening body language. Be very cautious of how you present yourself. And _always_ have your hands displayed to where they're visible," she hastily reminded them. And just like that, they fell back into their silence, the uneasiness and anticipation from before crept back over them all as they stood there, waiting.

It was completely silent for a few minutes longer before Edward announced the newcomer's presence with a nod of his head in the direction they were coming. All eyes zeroed in on the spot where he had gestured, exactly where Alice had said they would be.

To the human ear, there was nothing to be heard, Bella oblivious to what was happening or where they would turn up, but the rest of the group could hear them now, the distant rustling of branches and trees snapping under quick feet fast approaching. The sound grew louder as they neared, before slowing suddenly, the proximity to the tree-line close enough to where they decided to cautiously walk at a human pace. Each step calculated.

Shoulders were squared, positions locked in place as they waited for the moment the foreign face would emerge from the shadows.

Alice gave a glance to Edward then, a message passed between the two before he then looked to his adoptive father, Carlisle giving a nod in understanding. They had discussed this ahead of time.

The newcomer was waiting, watching from their hidden place amongst the foliage. Edward could hear their thoughts at this range, as could Jasper feel their emotions. They were curious, worried. Wondering if this was a trap.

They would have to coax the vampire out of hiding.

"Please, come out. We mean you no harm," the leader of their coven said softly, his voice not needing to be raised thanks to their advanced hearing. Edward gave him a nod to keep going, the vampire becoming more relaxed by the moment.

Carlisle took a small step forward, differentiating himself from the others, his hands carefully displayed outwards by his sides as he continued. "I am sure you have many questions for us. If you come out perhaps we could discuss them in a civil manner."

There was a long pause, the options being weighed by the hidden vampire, before finally there was more rustling. Edward stiffened, tightening his hold on Bella, pushing her further behind his tall form. The vampire slowly made their way through the remaining tall shrubbery before finally emerging from the darkness and into the open yard.

No one dared move as they studied the vampire, as she studied them right back.

She took in the nine figures before her, each standing still in their tightly held circle. She had learned a long time ago to keep her own hands open before her, her movements slow and steady as she approached. She still wasn't completely sure if this was a trap or not, but if she were going to find out, she had to do her best to not seem like a threat. But the color of their eyes was striking, the gold she had thought to be just another lie was true. It stunned her.

She stopped just outside the forest's edge, a defensive decision, in case she needed to flee if they decided to attack.

Her eyes went directly to the largest of the group, her most likely threat, the burly male to the farthest right. He was taller than the others, his figure bulked with muscle that no doubt provided him with additional strength. His face threw her off. His face was just as rugged as the rest of his body, carved with sharp-angles and a strong jaw. But his eyes, they gave his facade completely away.

He was a threat, no doubt. But not the greatest. She noted that even though he had great strength, he would have to catch her first to do any damage. He would be much slower than the others.

She looked to the next in line, the female tucked under the behemoth of a man, though she was clearly fighting to hold her own ground without his protection. She was the most gorgeous woman she had ever seen, the golden perfect curls of her hair cascading down her shoulders shined bright in the sunlight. She met the woman's haughty gaze, fighting the urge to give her a scowl back, instead noting the woman's effort to put on a threatening front. She was one to watch, her body language much more threatening than the others. But there was no telling if it was all bark and no bite.

Her eyes landed next on who she assumed the be the leader of the coven, the man who had spoken, standing further out from the line than the others. He was quite young, his white-blond hair combed back neatly and his dress much like that of a professional, which perplexed her. Why would he need to dress like so? His soft voice matched his demeanor, his body most relaxed compared to those around him, his face was a portrayal of pure calm, a small smile on his lips as he returned her look. He was patient, something that was more unsettling to her than the angry blonde from before, and she quickly moved on to the next person, eager to shake the feeling.

The girl had no other word to describe the woman next to the coven leader than as _warm._ She was even softer and open in her body language than the man had been, the two's hands wound tightly between them, and the girl came up short of an explanation for how the pair could possibly be so composed. They had to be good actors, she thought. Her decision to wear her hair down before approaching the property to cover her neck and chest didn't cover all her scars, few were still visible even with her jacket and tattered blue jeans covering most of her limbs.

And it only took one or two to provoke another vampire's instincts.

Like in the next vampire, the male with the wild brown hair standing in the center of the circle was the most disturbed by her presence, his eyes had never left her face since she emerged from the wood. She had been aware of the sheer anxiety he gave off from her proximity, and it delighted a dark part of her to know she evoked such emotions in him. But she showed none of that as she met his gaze, knowing that this was probably the vampire she would have to convince of her innocence the most if it came to it. He didn't trust her, and for good reason. But something else set him on edge too, she noticed as she looked to the left, but stopping short in her thought process.

She had never been happier than in that moment that she had chosen not to breathe at all during her approach to the house.

There, tucked tightly behind the boy with daggers for eyes, stood a human girl. She was completely lost for thought at the fact that she had somehow missed the sound of her heartbeat, so very obvious to her ears now that she had noticed her. She thanked her lucky stars above, if she even had any, that she had fed excessively in Port Angeles. The girl wasn't going to be her kryptonite, but it would be an uncomfortable obstacle if she chose to breathe, so she didn't.

But she was confused at the girl's presence, why would a coven of vampires have an innocent human girl amongst them. For a meeting such as this? The first things that came to mind made her quite angered, the obvious assumption that they kept her around as a snack of sorts was simply too absurd. Not even the worst and demented of her own coven had ever dared take a human as a hostage for their entertainment.

The bronze haired male that held the cowering girl tightly to his side grimaced as if he had been disturbed by something. It caused the girl to give him a slightly confused look of her own, tilting her head slightly as she studied him closer.

Why did he react to her that way?

She didn't let herself get caught up in the thoughts for too long, choosing to move along as if the human wasn't there and that she didn't care, though she very much did, her composure resettling as she took in the next male.

He was of average stature, his physique fit, and athletic. His facial expression was calm and almost friendly, his dark brown skin making his golden eyes shine as they bore into her own, a mesmerizing combination. He was relaxed slightly in his stance as well, but his secure hold on the small woman in his arms gave away his true feelings he was trying hard to hide.

The woman in his arms was almost humming with energy, something that set the girl on edge, the giant grin plastered on her tiny face was growing by the second the longer she stood there. Her hair was chopped sharply above her chin, her dark black hair a stark contrast against her pale white skin.

What was more horrifying, a giant mountain of a man or a pixie loaded on caffeine?

She didn't want to find out, and she had an inkling that it was probably the latter. She quickly moved on to the next and final person of the strange golden-eyed coven before freezing completely.

It hadn't gone unnoticed to her that every other member of the coven had perfect, flawless skin. None of them had the tell-tale marks of war on their skin, as she did. It had made her feel self-conscious, that she very clearly didn't belong.

Until her eyes landed on the most scared skin she had ever seen.

It was as if this male's skin was made of ridges and grooves, the potter leaving his creation mangled and unfinished on the wheel. Still, it was a marvel to witness, and even more so terrifying to take in. Those marks matched her own, even greater in number from what she could see, and each one told her he never lost a fight. Just like she hadn't.

But she knew, if it came to it, he would take her down in an instant, even she was no match to whatever power clearly lay dormant within him.

She took in every detail then, wanting to memorize every possible point of weakness. But she had found none, not in his rod straight posture, his muscular arms taut clasped behind his back. He was tall, shorter than the bronze haired man and the mountain, but still much taller than her own 5'7". Even his golden blond, curly hair was flawless in its placement as it graced his head.

She was itching to run, run far away and never return the longer she took in the literal killing machine before her, every instinct and muscle screaming at her to put as much distance between herself and this man. But that all came to a skidding halt when she dared meet his stern gaze.

The range of emotions she had felt in this life was limited to only a handful, but her comprehension of those she hadn't was pretty good. She could imagine a what it felt like when someone felt sadness or excitement, based off the way they were described in the many books she had stolen and hidden away in her abandoned annex of the factory. But this, what she felt when she looked at him, was something she had never read or heard about.

She didn't move for a long moment, eyes blown wide in a mix of shock and confusion, his own mirroring hers for the slightest second before he was able to gain his composure. Much quicker than she did.

Her mind was fogged, her thoughts sluggish and slow, her mind trying to run a mile a second but the gears were stuck. Something didn't click, and she desperately needed it to. It felt like she was a puppet on a string, some unknown part of her pulling on them, completely out of her control.

Finally, she was able to snap out of it, cutting the strings that held her frozen in place, immediately taking herself back over, her body rigid and still once more, face void of any emotion. She didn't dare meet his eye again, afraid and wary of what would happen if she did it again.

It was quite obvious that the others took notice of the exchange, some of their expressions changed to an array of those of shock, confusion, or in the angry blonde lady's case, even angrier.

The girl tried to not think about the reactions too much, still trying to process in the back of her mind what happened, but she definitely committed them to memory. Something very clearly happened, and she had an inkling that they knew something she didn't.

The blond god to her left did little to help calm her as his gaze burned into her, but she didn't dare meet it again. For all she knew, it was his gift to try and make her mess up.

Thankfully the leader of the coven spoke up again, quick to diffuse the tension by removing what attention he could from the moment and placing it on the true matter at hand.

He extended an arm behind him, gesturing to the large mansion in the distance.

"I'm sure you have many questions for my family and I. Please, do join us in our home so we may discuss things more comfortably."

She could only manage a nod in acceptance of his offer, the coven of golden-eyed vampires turning to lead the way to the three-story building they had called their _family_ _home_.

There were so many things running through her mind, questions about their strange behavior, why they looked different from her, and more importantly - and most definitely more pressingly- why the golden-haired man never took his eyes off her.

Even as she followed shortly behind the coven leader, he trailed behind her at the tail end of the group, matching her every small step with an equally large stride.

There was no turning back now.

She had entered the lion's den.

And she had the feeling that the lion was hungry.

Starving.


	6. The Lion's Den

At this point, there were very few things that I thought could surprise me anymore.

But as I was led across the threshold of the large mansion, the group filing into the large space one by one, I couldn't believe what I saw. I stood there, stunned for a moment as I took in my surroundings.

What kind of lair was this?

It looked as if I had walked into an actual human home- the furniture and walls completely intact, some even decorated with exquisite paintings and decor pieces. It wouldn't have lasted an hour with my coven.

The door we had entered through opened into a large den, a set of plush white couches took up much of the center space, single chairs of various make sat around them forming a rectangle.

Immediately my eyes went to scanning the room for exit points, noting that the entire south wall was made of glass, a marble fireplace to the right wall, and stairs ascending to the next floor were on the left. Ahead was what I assumed to be the remainder of the first floor, and I was curious if maybe this room was a facade, hiding what horrors and destroyed furnishings lay beyond.

The blond man with the kind eyes, who I was certain now was their leader, gestured to a chair closest to the exit for me to sit, seemingly already knowing I wouldn't dare venture further in case of a sudden attack. I took note of it as I slowly took the seat, the gesture making me want to feel touched, but I wasn't sure if it was real or not.

I sat straight in the chair, relaxation wasn't necessary and would be a foolish idea in a moment like this.

The male who looked as if he was constipated had never let the human girl out of his tight hold, positioning his body to shield her from my view even as they sat, taking up half of the large white couch furthest from my chair, trying to get as far from my direct line of sight as possible.

The leader of the coven sat in the single chair next to me to my left, the woman with the gentle features who had stood beside him chose a seat by the fireplace at the other end of the room. His posture was purposefully relaxed completely in what I could only assume to be yet another attempt to show he was no threat. And I agreed.

He wouldn't stand a chance if it came to it.

It was another moment of silence as the rest of the group settled, the giant bear of a man and his female companion- the blonde who was trying to murder me with her glare, sat on the remaining empty sofa that was across from me. The pixie-like girl had yet to cease her bouncing, having to sit on the arm of the couch as her partner sat in the seat, his arm releasing her from the hold as if he knew she wouldn't stay in one place for long.

I braced myself for the moment I knew she would move, I simply didn't know when.

That left one member of their coven standing, one that I wish wasn't there, his gaze had yet to cease in its intensity as he planted himself firmly in place behind the couch directly across from me. I still refused to meet those molten eyes that sought mine.

It angered me the more I thought about it, the urge to attack growing, so I did my best to ignore him completely.

That quickly proved to be an impossible task.

It was as if I were subconsciously in tune with every move he made, even when I had turned away from him.

But he never relented, and I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of showing my unease. He was trying to intimidate me, _dare_ me to try anything.

Thankfully, the leader spoke again, finally filling the stiff air with sound.

His tone was hesitant but still soft as he spoke. He gave a slight chuckle, a small attempt to make light of his words, to better the mood.

"I'm not quite sure where to begin, however, I do believe we are in need of an introduction. I am Carlisle, and this is my coven." He spoke slowly, eyes never leaving mine as I studied him. He spared a small glance to the bronze haired boy, as if in need of encouragement to continue, who gave his leader a stiff nod.

It was as if he were calling the shots today.

Carlisle then proceeded to go around the room, naming off each member one by one. Most were reluctant to call attention to themselves, but some seemed to be completely calm. Esme, the woman who I now believed to be the leader's companion was most welcoming. I would say that Alice was as well if it weren't for the freakishly giddy look on her face and squeal that forced itself from her throat when Carlisle called upon her.

I wanted to put as much distance as possible between the small girl and myself. Her partner, Michael however, had relaxed now that he was settled. He had what seemed to be a permanent look of mischief in his eyes. As did the mountain man who I know knew to be named Emmett, the companion of the smoke-show, Rosalie. I had no doubt that the two were constantly up to no good.

"And this is my son, Edward," he said, gesturing to the bronze haired boy who was weary of my presence.

Carlisle had been reluctant to call attention to him, the obvious elephant in the room being the human girl, who Edward did a poor job of hiding behind his broad upper body. While he was aggressive and peeved in his demeanor, she was the opposite. Curious, wide eyes peeked over his shoulder as she tried to get a glimpse of the strange newcomer.

I was intrigued by her, as she clearly was by me. I knew little of what her purpose was here, but it was slowly piecing together that she was here because of a connection to Edward.

Surely, they weren't involved as a couple, I thought.

I earned a growl at that from Edward, almost as if he could read my thoughts.

Carlisle was quick to diffuse the situation, giving the boy a stern look of warning before turning to me to check if it set me off. I had bristled at the sound, my instincts flaring to life at his challenge, but I was doubled down on my self-control. An iron grip on my urge to snap right back at him.

I also noticed the blond male shift in his stance. Ready to take action if I made any sudden moves. But that was something I still wished to avoid, for now anyway.

I made an effort to relax my shoulders, even if it was for show, to indicate that I wasn't going to fight.

It worked, but there was another long moment before Carlisle spoke again, continuing the introductions. He gave a small frown as he gestured to the girl, reluctance in his eyes as he called all attention to her.

"This is Bella, Edward's... companion," he said, and at the call of her name, she blushed furiously, her eyes darting away from mine and to the floor. She was a shy person, her hands wringing together as she fumbled with the hem of her sleeves. It was a behavior I didn't understand but noted that it sent her heart rate soaring.

Edward leaned even further back then, taking the girl with him as he tried to cover her completely with his body from my view. It irked me, the blatant possessive behavior he exhibited as if I would dare try to _eat_ his girlfriend, but I had to let it go, I reminded myself.

I had to make this work. I had to get what information I could, this was my last option.

I turned away, knowing the longer I let my eyes linger the more uncomfortable the thirst would get, as would the mood of the room. Carlisle gave a small smile, as if in thanks, and moved to gesture to the last remaining member of his coven. I dreaded it, I wanted to pretend he wasn't there.

I stalled in my glance, but the desire to look was simply too strong. It ate away at me.

"This is Jasper, the newest member of our coven," he said hesitantly, almost as how he was with Bella. He had caught on to the awkward tension between the man and me.

Out of not wanting to be rude and insult the coven, I forced myself to look at him. It was only meant to be a half of a moment's glance of acknowledgment, but as I met his eye I was once again trapped.

Every vampire was beautiful, the looks of each person dramatically enhanced upon their turning, but there was something else there that made him stand out. He had a rugged look to him, his body weathered from a harsh environment that no one else in his coven had ever imagined seeing. Everything from his posture and demanding presence, I knew that although Carlisle was the head of this coven, and Edward seemed to hold some deal of favor, Jasper was a leader, a power lying dormant within him.

It pricked my curiosity to know why that was.

Though he held his ground firmly, body as ridged as before, and his eyes were different than they had been in the clearing. His jaw was clenched tightly still, his face void of any emotion save for a scowl, one that he no doubt wore at all times. But his eyes had been emotionless before, unreadable. Now, the amber eyes held some strong emotion there, but it was one I couldn't read.

It was as strange to me as Jasper was, but it was present in him. And I could feel it too, that odd and overwhelming sensation from the first time I locked eyes with him.

It _had_ to be some kind of dark power that he had.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there, having a practical staring contest with the man, but it must have been long because it took Carlisle's loud clearing of his throat to break the string that had kept me stuck there.

I shifted my gaze to him immediately, noting that again, there was something going on that I was clearly unaware of, the glint in the leader's eye was a knowing one.

I spared a glance around the room in suspicion and was proven correct when I noticed that the others had the same look, too. It was at Emmett's wiggle of his brows that I stiffened, turning instantly back to the leader, mortified and shocked at his insinuation.

I knew good and well that there was now a large smirk plastered to his face.

It was a burning question I would have to save for later.

There were far more important things to discuss first.

"I'm sure you have many questions, however, due to the circumstances, I hope you understand our hesitance. We wish to know more about you before we feel comfortable enough to share more," Carlisle said, his eyes sincere, an apologetic small smile on his face.

I couldn't believe how.. soft these vampires were. Asking kindly for information, hesitant to instigate any questions. A stranger had entered their lands, their territory, and they asked if they could get to know them.

I was dumbfounded but obliged. I had to give information to receive it.

But I didn't know where to start. Civil conversation wasn't my forte.

Edward seemed to pick up on my hesitance, if not irritated by it, because he led the questioning.

"What is your name?" He asked, the glint of curiosity in his eye meshed horribly with the scowl he still wore.

I hesitated on that, not sure of how much information was too much information, to begin with anyway. But deciding that the quickest way I would gain their trust was with honesty, I told him the truth.

"I actually don't know. At least, not my real name," I said, speaking for the first time. It was weird to hear my voice take such a soft tone, one I had to force myself to keep steady. It actually sounded quite nice, a stark contrast to the raspy growl I almost always used to provoke fear and a sense of superiority over my siblings. I continued, the tiniest sense of embarrassment creeping up on me as I revealed my name, the one my creator had tauntingly given me.

"But I've been called a name by others. They call me Persephone."

It was a long pause then, the golden-eyed vampires soaking up the information like sponges, each eager to ask their own slew of questions. But they approached it slowly, tentatively. Carlisle furrowed his brow in a mix of curiosity and confusion.

"Does that mean you do not remember your human life?" He asked slowly as if he didn't want to offend. I gave a stiff shake of my head, that no, I didn't.

"When were you changed?" Edward asked this time, his tone more rushed and abrupt than Carlisle's, as if he were in a hurry to get this over with.

"Just under a year, 352 days ago," I said, running the numbers easily. It was hard not to count every single day, the days I survived.

Many of them looked at me in poorly hidden surprise, followed by a sense of unease. They were looking at the scars, noting how short of a time span I had earned them. Some shifted in their seats.

I let my gaze stay on Edward until he asked another question. Finding it easier to look at his already untrusting gaze than to think about what the others must have felt.

He began listing off a series of questions, more personal ones then. I was glad he finally got the balls to do so, the beating around the bush they were doing was becoming irritating.

"Why are you here, then? What is your motivation," he asked haughty, his eyes burning into mine. " _Who_ sent you."

There it was.

Finally, it all clicked, the reason for their hostility and curiosity exposed. They already knew I was coming, I remembered what the nomadic pair I had met just the night before had said. _They'll be anticipating your arrival, they'll see you coming._

I approached the topic cautiously, knowing that there was clearly something they knew. They wanted to see if I would lie, testing me.

After a moment, I made up my mind, deciding to tell the truth. It would do me little good to lie and end up roasting on the fire. I looked to Carlisle, finding his gaze to be much easier to meet at that moment.

"I was.. created for a very specific purpose. My creator claimed that he was a survivor, having been the only one of his coven to escape the tyrants that had overthrown their territory." I began, slowly, not daring to show any emotion, my eyes never straying from their leader.

He looked confused, sharing a glance with Edward, but didn't interrupt. He nodded, beckoning me to continue.

"He was plotting, planning something to take back what was his. It's why he sent me here, to assess the territory and its surroundings."

The air was thick with tension, the Cullens clinging to my every word. I paused to look at them, a look of complete confusion on each of their faces.

Edward stared at me intently, speaking to the others as he stared, never breaking the eye contact.

"She's telling the truth."

How did he know that?

Emmett spoke then, the goofy look now gone, replaced with a stern glare, "What tyrants? Why come here?"

Edward answered for him, his brow knit in confusion as if he was unsure of the words he said "Us. _We_ are the coven they claimed to escape."

They looked to me for confirmation, to which I nodded.

"I assure you, there has been a mistake. No coven other than or own has laid claim to this land for centuries," said Carlisle, his eyes wary as he assessed me, the fact that I was a threat becoming more apparent to him as he learned more. "And even then, we mean to make peace with all we encounter. Surely you have been misled."

"I know," I said, to which they were surprised at my agreement. That I already knew this. Then why was I here?

Alice hadn't broken from her happy daze through all of it, but now she wore a knowing grin. Her eyes twinkling, she was trying to bite her tongue.

The others gave me a look, one which told me the floor was mine, and to start talking. So, I did.

"From the beginning, there were things that didn't make sense, things that we were told about our new life that simply didn't add up. I had no other sources, so I had to take the information I was given as fact. I was suspicious, but-" I hesitated, suddenly a tightness in my throat, preventing me from speaking freely. A feeling I hadn't felt before, wound tightly around my chest.

This was the first time I dared speak the words out loud, and it overcame me. But I pushed on, I needed this to be known.

"But my existence wasn't a given, secure. I had to keep my position to ensure my survival, and so I was deliberately ignorant to what I was told. It wasn't until I was sent here did I learn just how.. deep the lies ran."

There was yet another pause, no one quite sure what to say. I was glad I didn't have a heartbeat, for I knew it would be drumming loud in my chest from the pressure of the situation.

"What made you realize it was a lie?" Carlisle asked, curious as ever, though the kindness had returned to his eyes. It was confusing, how could he be so in touch with his emotions when he was, of all things, a vampire?

Before I could answer, however, Edward cut in. He was sick of beating around the bush apparently, and admittedly, so was I. But what I thought was just a snap of irritation, blew me out of the water when his next words fell out of his mouth.

"She came across two nomads," He said, never taking his eyes off me as he continued, "Charlotte and Peter, they changed her path."

I was stunned, he had been doing that the entire time, but this time, I was certain.

That fucker could read my mind.

I wanted to hightail it out of that house, and run as far away as I could, my instincts flaring to life in full force then. I braced my arms on the wooden chair I sat in, ready to push myself up and launch for the door in my fear.

I knew the Cullens had something different about them, from their looks all the way down to their mannerism. But I had followed them anyway, blinded by my desire to get revenge. Ignoring my instincts.

I should have never gone through with seeing them.

Carlisle launched into action, quick to diffuse the situation and to calm me down. I flinched when the head of the coven reached a hand out in my direction, and I leaned back into my seat, weary of his close proximity. Anything could go south from here, and if one of them had a special ability, then perhaps they all did.

It hit me then why Alice was so strange, she had _seen_ me. Why Peter had been so insinuative of them knowing of my arrival.

They had about three seconds to start explaining or I was running for the door, and I was taking down whoever necessary to reach it.

Carlisle retracted his hands at my reaction, choosing to instead leave them displayed once more by his sides, he relaxed into his seat. His coven followed suit, Michael and Emmett had braced themselves for an attack when I had sat up, and noting the actions of their leader they hesitantly eased themselves back into their previous positions.

Rosalie and Jasper, however, didn't relent in their firm positions. Their hard eyes never straying.

Carlisle gave Edward a scolding look, before directing his gaze back to me. He needed to fix this, fast.

"I apologize for my son's bluntness, you see- ah- " he struggled to find the right word, "he has a gift, as some of our kind do. I'm not sure what you know of these _abilities,_ but Edward has the gift of telepathy."

I was still frozen in place, my instincts fogging my mind, making it hard to concentrate on his words. I looked to Edward then, studying him closely, looking for something, as if I missed it written somewhere on his face. He gave a small, smug grin.

It made me want to punch him.

However, as soon as the angered emotions came, they disappeared, replaced by a thick blanket of calm. It was unnatural, as if someone had smothered out the flames of a fire with a hydrant, and I was hyper-aware of the sensation. I blinked, confused even more by the fact that I knew I was angry and afraid, the thoughts still just as relentless, but the emotions were washed away and replaced with an artificial calm.

I looked down at my body, at the tattered and stained clothes I wore, as if I would find the answer on me. I glanced up hesitantly to Carlisle, lost for what to do or say. I was helpless.

I hated it.

He grimaced, giving me a somewhat apologetic glance as he nodded his head over to the golden boy I had done so well at ignoring up until now. "Jasper can feel emotions, as well as manipulate them if the situation arises."

I glared at him then, meeting his gaze evenly, pushing aside every strange emotion it made me feel when I did that, I fought the urge to give in to his power. I just _knew_ he had been doing something to me.

His face was void of the hostility it had worn earlier, now a small, twisted grin sat there. It made me want to punch him, too. It only grew larger as he no doubt felt the growing sense of annoyance I felt towards him.

I huffed, irritated at the whole situation.

For the first time, then, the human girl spoke. I couldn't believe I had almost forgotten about her presence, the can of crazy I had opened here today was turning my heightened senses to mush.

"Who are Peter and Charlotte?" she asked innocently, her voice soft and seeped in curiosity. The rest of us had gotten so caught up in the tension that the interrogation had been completely thrown out the window.

Edward sighed, his whole demeanor changing as he turned to her, and in that moment, it was as if she was the only thing in the room with him. He tenderly took her hands in his, gentle as if she were made of glass.

"They're nomads, vampires who travel from place to place. They are old friends of Jasper, Alice, and Michael from before they joined our coven," he explained, his voice smooth and velvety, a tone I was sure he reserved only for her.

So, there was another side to this Edward boy behind the charade of toughness.

And he was whipped by a tiny human girl.

He turned around to glare at me for that thought, but I couldn't hide the small grin that plastered itself on my face. The first one in, well, ever.

If he was going to read my thoughts, he would have to just deal with sarcasm.

They all looked to me for confirmation of the information, that I had indeed met Peter and Charlotte. I nodded, suddenly thankful that they had connections here.

Perhaps it would grant me some creditability.

"They were the ones who told me about the true nature of.. _our kind._ And what they told me proved to be true. They also made it clear that what I was being led to do was a complete hoax, but still insisted that I come," I said, my confusion about the last part evident on my face.

Carlisle, who had been listening intently to both Edward and myself, finally spoke after a moment of gathering his thoughts.

"Tell us more about this creator and his.. mission. From what I've heard so far, it is clear that the story he has spun about our coven is a cover for a much deeper motive," he asked, voice solemn.

"His name is Riley," I said, not bothering to hide the scowl, the twisted face of the devil burned in my mind as I spoke his name, my mood turning sour even with the grip of calm Jasper had pushed over me.

It was like a light went off in Edward's mind, as he read my own. He interrupted, his next words surprising all of us.

"I've seen his face before," he looked to his creator as he stood, eyes dark, "He's the kid that went missing from around here, he disappeared a little over a year and a half ago."

In the blink of an eye, he was gone from the room, a rustling noise could be heard from one of the rooms above. In less than a second he was back, a folded piece of paper in his hand. He laid it out on the glass coffee table in the middle of the room for all to see.

There, printed in black and white, was an exact replica of the devil's face. Only in the picture, he was much softer, eyes innocent and lively as he smiled for his photo. Human.

Riley Biers.

I raised a brow at the information laid out before me. Riley had been turned less than a year before me, news that was hard to swallow. So the story of having anything to do with the Cullens was completely fake, made up.

My venom was boiling.

I glanced at Edward, not bothering to hide the glare my eyes held from the dark emotions I was harboring.

"Why would he be after our coven, if he hasn't even met us?" Esme asked, more so to herself, but the rest of the room was thinking it as well.

The only answer she received was Carlisle's shrug of his shoulders.

"Are you sure there was no one else involved? No other person in command?" Edward asked, raking my mind for any trace of faces he might recognize.

I thought about it for a long moment but came up short.

"No, he was the one who turned me, and the one I woke up to. Every command was given by him, he claimed to be the only one left of his coven," I offered, my mind coming up short. The only others close to his position were me and Diego, and we were both created by him.

So, who created Riley?

No one seemed to have an answer to that. At least, they didn't voice it if they did.

We sat there for a while longer, different members of the coven offering up their theories, and whether or not it could be possible. I was asked more questions, the nitty-gritty details of my time with Riley that might have given any more clues, such as the size of the coven. Where did the coven reside? What were the lies we had been told? What did they know of the Cullens?

The details made it apparent very quickly that the "coven" I had been made for was in reality, a newborn army. The term was bitter on my tongue when Edward had given it that name. They explained that very few existed, and most vampires lived in covens such as their own, or out in the world as nomads.

I was comforted yet saddened by that revelation. And incredibly bitter.

But no matter how they angled it, how they approached the different theories with the information now laid out in front of them, they still came up short.

There was too much missing from the puzzle.

They eventually gave up trying to figure out the missing pieces. For now, anyway. There were still other matters at hand.

Jasper hadn't said a word throughout the whole morning, his eyes never straying from my form. It was irritating and confusing, especially when everyone else in the room had relaxed with my presence, listening to my input and comments when they were found useful.

But he didn't budge. Not an inch.

Until Rosalie opened her mouth, unleashing a fire that had been brewing within her since my arrival.

"How are we supposed to just take every word this _stranger_ says as truth? She just waltzes in here, and no one bats an eye? What if she's lying, steering us in the wrong direction, only to stab us in the back the second we let our guard down?"

She was seething, eyes alight with the angry fire I had only had a glimpse of before. She held her ground firmly as I met her glare, not daring to back down from a challenge.

I had handled far greater threats than her. If she wanted to attack me, I would gladly oblige.

"She was made to kill us!" she seethed through her teeth, jaw clenched tightly as she threw her fit. No one came to her side on this one, eyes turned away to the ground. Her accusations made the room tense, the direction it was going in likely to be a disaster. Jasper bristled at her harsh words, the first time he had moved since entering the home. Emmett reached out to place his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her, but she shrugged it off forcefully as if his touch burned her.

" _No,_ I will not stand by while we get played by some _newborn, conniving-_ "

Her enraged rant was cut off suddenly by the least suspecting voice in the room. All eyes were wide in shock to hear the deep, commanding voice that was so often silent.

" _What_ , Rosalie?" Jasper asked, his eyes cut to her, the same glaring look falling on her heated face. It was a taunting one, daring her to continue. She had frozen, the interaction not expected, and suddenly she looked as if she felt scorned.

The two fiercest members of the coven had a stare-down for a long moment, Jasper daring her to say whatever foul words she had aimed at me. She huffed loudly, crossing her arms as she backed down, plopping down into the couch in defeat.

No one said a word. What could they say to argue against Rosalie's point? It was true.

I was shocked at what had just played out before me. Jasper had.. come to my defense.

I was more confused then than ever before. But I shrugged it off, compartmentalizing it for another time.

Rosalie glowered at me from under her lashes, her hands gripping her arms tightly.

"She has a point, you shouldn't trust me," I said, all eyes turning to me, thankful for a distraction from the awkward interaction they had just witnessed. But they were equally confused at my words but didn't stop me. I continued.

"You have no reason to, I'm a stranger. I was _created_ to kill you all. Why does that deserve respect and trust, when all I've done is tell you a little bit about myself?" I said, catching myself starting to ramble, but I persisted, wanting to make my motive clear.

"I've been lied to, my existence only serving as another puppet in Riley's sick game," I said, spitting the words out, my tone bitter as I thought about the man I hated most with all my being, "a life, one I don't even remember, was stolen from me."

I looked to each of them, meeting their eye one by one.

Even Jasper's.

"There's only one thing I'm after. It's not your pity, or your protection, that I want," I said, my eyes never daring to leave the molten amber ones that bore into mine. It was as if they were what gave me the confidence to say what was on my chest.

"I want to take down the monster who created me, and I'll do it with or without your help."


	7. Gimme Shelter

We had sat there, in silence, for what felt like an eternity.

My words had rung loudly in my ears even still, a single drumming heartbeat the only true sound in the quiet room of vampires. And even then, we did our bests to ignore the beautiful sound.

No one knew what to say.

It was true, every single bit of it.

Carlisle looked to me wearily, as if debating in his head on what to say. I knew he was biting his tongue, holding back whatever he truly wanted to say. His desire to be civil and rational overpowering that of improper bluntness, a nature I was much fonder of.

"Though we do not make it our mission to hurt others, or cause trouble with other covens, in this situation I feel that it may come to that. If this Riley truly wishes to seek us out, then we might not have any other choice," he said, hesitantly. In his soft amber eyes, I could see the disappointment in himself already swimming there, the thought of having to fight another person caused great turmoil within him.

His coven seemed to agree, stiff nods bobbed across the room, even Rosalie managing a small one of her own as she still simmered in her anger.

"Then it's decided, then," I said, my voice gaining back the monotonous and serious tone that hadn't peaked through earlier in my vulnerability, my control coming back now as the seriousness of the situation at hand became real once more. It was the stern voice I had adapted over the year, my mind instinctually clinging to the edge it gave me, and I went to stand up.

I studied Carlisle closely, searching his face for any possible hint of deception. Then to Edward and his smug, pained face for the same reason. They were confused at my movement.

"Riley isn't one for waiting, and the moment he realizes I won't be returning he will step into action. For the next phase of his plan, or sending someone else in, I'm not sure. But there's about a two-day period between now and then," I said, standing up from my place on the plush chair. The males bristled at the movement, unsure of what I was doing.

I tried to hide the smallest smug grin that graced my face, the fearful reaction was one I always enjoyed.

I waved their gazes off with the shake of my head.

"I thank you for your coven's hospitality, Carlisle," I said, struggling to get such strange words out of my mouth. It was foreign to say such things and _actually_ mean them. As if it would kill me to be civil for once.

Edward interrupted me before I could say anything else. I had intended to make my way towards the door, feeling as though I had overstayed my welcome, and if I spent a moment longer in the presence of Jasper I felt my head was going to explode. I didn't want to impose on their space, just hanging around in their grand mansion.

It wasn't my scene.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked curiously, his head cocked to the side in genuine interest as he tried to read my mind. I looked at him for a moment, before shrugging. I honestly wasn't sure.

"I won't stray far," I said, knitting my brow in my own slight confusion. Did he really think I would stay here, up in their space?

Esme lit up at the words, her eyes full of concern. She let out the smallest gasp. "Oh, dear. Nonsense!"

I grimaced a little at her words, not knowing what she had in mind.

She stood then, approaching me. I bristled, but allowed it, knowing that all eyes were on me and every movement I made. One slight move out of line against their matriarch and I was done for.

She stopped just before reaching me, a few feet between us. She was lovely in every way, her heart-shaped face radiating the same warmth it had earlier, a kind smile on her rosy lips.

"Please, do stay for a little while. We don't mind at all, and I'm sure you have questions for us. Ones I'm sure we could answer," she said kindly, her voice soft and smooth, like a blanket on a chilly day.

My lips fell into a tight line, and I fought to control the expression on my face. Under everyone's gaze, I contemplated what to do. I felt awkward, out of place amongst the flawless and almost alien-like behavior of these vampires.

But at the nods of agreement to her words, even one from Edward who still clearly detested me, I agreed.

For the time being, anyway.

I slowly sat down in my seat, Esme glowing with happiness at the silent agreement as she made her way back to her seat.

The room wasn't stuffy with tension like before, but there was something new in the air. Something lighter, I couldn't place it. It was an environment foreign to me, but I had an inkling that this was what positivity felt like. Excitement flowing through and around the room.

From there, it was as if a light had been switched on, a side of the Cullens coming out that I hadn't seen earlier. As if they were now comfortable with showing their true nature, even if just a little bit.

It was strange, yet I couldn't deny that I liked it.

I had to applaud Alice for being able to keep a lid on her bubbling excitement for so long, the second she unleashed herself it was like she never stopped. She loved to talk, and she enjoyed pitching in her thoughts on every little thing someone had to say.

Carlisle had launched into addressing the elephant in the room after a little while of small talk- why their eyes were so different from my red ones.

I couldn't believe what I heard.

I sat there, unable to prevent the slack of my jaw as I stared at him, my eyes locked on his bright golden ones. It was as if he had grown two heads.

Did they drink from _animals?_

The craziest part was that they actually called it vegetarianism. And if I wasn't so shocked, left speechless, I would have probably laughed at the irony of such a thing. But Emmett and Michael were the ones who got the first laugh at my reaction.

Apparently, it happened a lot when people found out.

"How is that even possible?" I asked in disbelief, glancing around at the others, noting how their eyes varied slightly in shade and intensity, but all were the same in that they were unmistakably golden.

Again, I didn't dare look at Jasper. The few glances I had spared on him were not forgotten, burned forever in my mind as I committed every detail of his face to memory. His eyes were the most intense, a fire behind the gold, melting it with slight shades of dark amber and honey. It pained me to admit they were beautiful.

Carlisle chuckled at me, enjoying the reaction. It was clearly a common one. "How is it possible that our kind even exists?" He retorted, his posture relaxed as he crossed his legs comfortably.

"It's the same concept as the more.. traditional diet, simply taking out the human equation. It is the blood itself that we survive on, just as a human survives on the different combinations of protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients they find in food. As long as they get those main things, they can eat a variety of diets such as omnivorous, vegetarian, or vegan.

Though it is not as satisfying to feed off animals, it is just as successful in meeting the basic thirst. They taste different, like a salad with little dressing and flavor, if you will," he explained, a twinkle of mirth in his eye at the last little joke, proud of himself for making it. I nodded in understanding of his words, still trying to process it all.

Of all the things I thought were possible, that _definitely_ wasn't one of them.

"Wow," that was all I could manage to say, earning peals of musical laughter from the others in the room.

Again, I was thrown off with how easily I had forgotten the human in the room, her own fit of soft laughter bringing attention to her again.

I was becoming more comfortable with her there, my thirst had been exceedingly met in Port Angeles, but it did put me on edge that she was present through all of this.

How did a human become so involved with vampires?

The good-natured look of humor faded from Edward's face then, as he took in my thoughts. He wasn't as hostile as earlier, though there was apprehension in his now sober gaze.

I noted that he didn't try to hide her from my view now as he answered my thoughts.

"Bella and I have known each other for quite some time now," he said softly, his tone completely different than it had been earlier when she had been the focal point of the room. All traces of hostility gone, and the lightness that sparkled in his eye when he spoke of her was clear as day. He cared deeply for the human girl.

He wrapped her small hand in his pale one, resting it gently on his lap as he spoke. His thumb traced a pattern lightly over it.

"She's a... _very_ inquisitive person," he said, slight humor to his voice as he looked to her, a furious blush gracing her cheeks at his doting on her. An inside joke there, only known to the people in the room.

She must have found out on her own, I guessed.

 _But how did she come across a nest of vampires?_ Was my next thought.

Edward looked back at me then, reading my unspoken question.

"We chose our diet for many reasons, one being that we wished to not harm any human lives. The other is one that I'm sure you're already putting together. It's why we dress, act, and live as we do," he said, glancing around the room.

Indeed, I had noted the strange tendencies about them. The way they dressed in human attire, like professionals and common passerbys. The way Carlisle had referred to them as his _family_ and _children._ How the mansion was their _home_ and why it was decorated so finely. But I couldn't piece it all together, not quite. I had chalked it up as just strange, and perhaps even a facade.

Edward gave a small, sad smile at my thoughts. He wanted so badly to pity me like this was something I was supposed to know, but silently I was glad that he didn't let it show. No doubt he knew how it made me feel.

"We live amongst them, our milder eye color allowing us to blend in better with our peers and coworkers," he said, finally sliding that last missing puzzle piece into place.

Again, I was shocked for what felt like the thousandth time in the last day. How many more tricks were they hiding up their sleeves?

I looked at Carlisle for confirmation, a small proud smile there on his face. Unable to hide it.

"So..." I began, slowly trying to piece together my thoughts. Each person listened intently, patiently. "You guys are like a... _family?"_

The word felt foreign, and strange on my tongue as I spoke it. I watched the reactions on their faces, particularly Carlisle's. He nodded, a soft and airy laugh escaping him at my words.

To them, it was like as if it were supposed to be obvious that they were. But as vampires, it was the furthest thing from natural.

Again, Peter's words ran around in my mind. _They aren't like other vampires._

Clearly.

As they continued in their laughter, I felt a creeping sense of understanding and warm tenderness wrap itself around my shoulders like a blanket of clouds. Ebbing away at the feeling of foolishness and hurt that I was so ignorant of the world. I was instantly alerted by it, but just as suddenly aware that it came from the empath.

I was shocked, completely, and utterly shocked at the emotions he had sent my way. But on the other hand, I understood, remembering that he too didn't have the same background as his coven.

It sparked my curiosity, the message he relayed to me that he understood. Just how different was his past from his family's? I wondered. It would have to be a question for another day, as I was knocked out of my thoughts by Alice's exuberant voice.

"Okay, okay. We've had our fun. Now it's my turn!" she said happily, rising from her place on the sofa's armrest. She was graceful in her step, light and tender on her feet as she all but floated over to my seat.

This was the moment I had been afraid of, knowing the moment she moved it wouldn't be good for me. I looked at her, wearily, meeting her bright and excited eyes. She smiled wide, reaching her hand down to me. I stared at it, blankly, my eyes wide.

"Oh, don't act so shocked, I won't bite! I think it's time that we get you cleaned up!" She said jokingly, rolling her eyes mockingly, gesturing to my form. I looked down at my clothes then, suddenly hyperaware of just how dirty I was in comparison to them.

I had never thought about the clothes I wore and what it might look like to others, the only thing mattering to me being that I could show off as much scarring as possible, or do the opposite and hide them with my jacket. Now, I was aware of every little stain and tear in comparison to their crisp and pristine clothes. Not to mention the near literal rat's nest of hair on my head, pulled up into a messy low ponytail.

I felt like a contestant on one of those extreme makeover shows I saw playing in the windows of the video store I'd pass by often downtown.

I tried to shrug her off, and the attention she had brought to my state, "No, it's fine. I'm quite fine as I am, really,"

But no matter how much I tried to excuse my state and that I liked my clothes, she didn't buy it. And I knew she wouldn't give up until I gave in.

"Fine," I said, reluctance seeping through my voice as it was no doubt showing on my face. I noted the grin on everyone's faces, especially Edward and Michael's.

I had a feeling this wasn't going to be fun.

At least, for me anyway.

* * *

"Ow! Alice, for the last time, I think I'd like to keep what hair I do have left on my head!"

All that I got in response was a peal of her infectious laughter, melodic, and light in sound. But her brush didn't stop in its motions through the knots and tangles of my hair, despite my endless protests.

_Crack._

The paddle snapped in half like a toothpick, the bristled end stuck in my hair as she sighed.

"Tsk. That's the third one!" she pouted, chunking the handle end in the trash can, where two others had been discarded. They had lost the battle against my unruly mane of hair.

She reached for the top drawer of her elegant vanity that I sat at, taking out another brush, her petite form barely the same height as me as I sat in the plush chair before the mirror. I groaned as she went back to her impossible task at hand, the tug of her strong grip through my equally strong hair pulled tightly at my scalp.

I had to hold back a growl.

After much arguing, and ignoring my pleas that I was indeed fine with how I looked, Alice had won in her insistence that I let her help me _"_ clean up."

It was like I was a Barbie doll.

She had asked me remove my tattered clothes and shoes, offering me a long robe in exchange as she took them from me. I hesitated in complying but relented when I thought that maybe she was just going to wash them for me.

She actually chunked them in the trash.

I was mad, but also flustered. That was my only change of clothes. After telling her that, that I had to keep them because if it, she only gave me a look that told me I should know better.

She handed me a change of clothes from a shelf in her large closet, one that was bigger than any I had ever seen, before ushering me off to the bathroom adjoined to the bedroom and telling me to shower and get dressed.

It was more like an order.

But I complied, as much as I hated to admit it, I was tempted to take up her offer. She had turned the water on while I had changed out of my clothes in the other room, the steam from the warm shower head filling the room with billows of warmth that enveloped my body. Inviting me into its embrace.

I savored every moment in the shower, almost embarrassed at the sheer amount of grime and dried blood that washed off of me and down the drain. I hadn't been this clean since the moment I woke up.

I was thankful that Edward had taken my kidnapping by the pixie as the chance to leave the home, Bella in tow. Without her here I felt free to breathe in, greedily taking in the delicate scent of lavender and vanilla soap that foamed on my body and in my hair.

I stepped out of the bathroom dressed in the clothes she had given me, a thick maroon jumper and dark washed denim jeans- not a single tear or rip in them. They were new, the fabric lacking any scent from a previous wearer.

I never had new clothes, ones that were truly my own.

I had stood there awkwardly in the doorway as she pranced around the room, gathering items I couldn't quite see from different drawers and cases before she beckoned me to the vanity, where I sat now.

We had been trying to tame my hair for half an hour, and I was sure if this fourth brush broke she would give up.

But it didn't, not before we finished anyway.

I had been avoiding looking in the mirror, my eyes glued to the vanity top, tracing over the different bobbles and bottles of fragrance sitting there. But at the excited "Ta-Da!" that Alice gave, I dared look.

I was shaken to the core at what stared back at me in the reflection, a stranger sat in my spot.

I had only seen small glimpses of myself before, in the blurry reflection of a dim storefront or a puddle on the sidewalk, never liking what I found.

But this... This was like I was seeing for the first time.

It was me, the unmistakable sharp structure of my cheekbones and small, refined nose. Full pink lips, the lower slightly heavier than the top. They were features I knew I had from slight glimpses but never paid attention to. But now, they were the focal points.

Except for the burning red eyes, their brightness brought out by the complementary color of my sweater. I met my own gaze for the first time, slightly fearful before the emotion quickly settled and changed to that of wonder. Softly arched brows sat above my almond-shaped eyes, thick lashes dotting them in full.

Gentle waves of caramel-colored hair flowed down and over my shoulders, stopping just past my breast. I ran a finger through it, my curiosity getting the best of me as I took in the feeling. Soft and clean. I had never felt it that way before, the mess it had become over the year was best kept in a bun or in a messy ponytail. Out of the way.

I was actually kind of pretty, and it felt weird to know that.

Of course, I was a vampire. Every feature was enhanced tenfold, and I was curious to know what I might have looked like as a human.

I had almost forgotten Alice's presence. If it hadn't been for the bouncing black spikes of hair looming over my head like a wonky crown. She peeked over my shoulder, her eyes alight as she took in my reaction. I was worried for a moment her face might split in half from her giant smile.

She waited for my thoughts, but I could only manage a nod.

She giggled with glee, clapping happily.

"I _knew_ you would love it! Crazy what a little bit of soap and hairspray can do, right?" She laughed happily. I managed a small laugh of my own in agreement.

She motioned for me to stand again, and when I did she moved to the table next to the vanity, bringing over a small box of items that I now noticed were jewelry. She wiggled a brow, handing it to me.

I took it in my hand awkwardly, like something would jump out at me, not knowing what to do with it. She laughed at my expression, waving me off.

"Put it on, silly! What kind of outfit is it without a bit of accessorizing?" She teased. I glanced at the box uneasily, shaking my head, thrusting it back out to her to take.

She shook her head, pushing it lightly to my chest once more. A soft smile overtook her lips then, a calm look in her eye. It was the calmest and sincerest I had seen her thus far.

"Really, Seph. It's okay. I have too much of this stuff anyway," she said, taking the shimmering bracelet out of the box and clasping it on my wrist before I could say anything. For emphasis.

I took a moment, gathering my thoughts.

I had never been given anything before. A gift.

 _And_ she had already taken to giving me a nickname.

The tiny pixie had yet to cease to surprise me.

I finally gave in, putting on the small golden studs and dainty gold necklace, a small circle at the center rested against my chest. I smiled, grateful for her kindness.

She winked in return before running into the closet one last time, throwing out towards me a pair of shoes. I caught them with ease, knowing this time not to object, slipping on the dark brown booties.

She gave me one last look over, before nodding to herself, satisfied.

She led me over to the door, I followed, unsure of where she was taking me next. She opened the door, stepping out into the hall and waited for me to join her. I waited for her instruction.

She had a different glint in her eye now, one I knew to be that of knowing and mirth. She nodded in the direction of the remainder of the hall, an expanse of several other doorways were ahead of me.

"I think my work here is done," she said proudly, looking me over once more in satisfaction. She glanced down the hall again.

"The rest of the family has stepped out to do a few things, and they'll be back in just a bit. Until then, you can wait for Carlisle in the study," she said, nodding to the end of the hallway, where the stairs to the third floor sat.

"It's upstairs, at the end of the hall. The door's open. I'll be here if you need me."

I hesitated, listening for any other sounds in the house save for ourselves. Sure enough, we were alone. Though I knew they couldn't be far, I had a feeling they had stepped out to give us a sense of privacy.

It was touching.

It made me a bit uneasy, but feeling more comfortable now than earlier, my new clothes giving me a sense of confidence I did as I was told.

She retreated back into her room without another moment's hesitation, before I could protest.

I took my time walking up the stairs, taking in the elaborate art that was displayed. A giant piece of abstract fabric rested over the stairs. It took a second glance to realize it was made up of hundreds of graduation caps.

 _What a sick joke_ , I mused.

With the human gone, I felt more relaxed with breathing. While Alice's room had smelt heavily of vanilla and lavender, a slight hint of cinnamon no doubt from Michael, the rest of the house was a mix of too many different smells. I nearly had to halt my steps as it just about knocked me over. So many scents of different vampires, trailing in lingering traces of human with them from their social interactions... I didn't see how they did it.

But with a few long, even breaths I could separate them, focusing on the ones I knew to be a vampire.

It wasn't until I landed on the third floor did one hit me with such force I felt like I had been punched in the stomach.

I had never encountered such an enticing scent before, the mix of citruses, spices, and wood had me feeling like a moth drawn to a flame.

It was completely intoxicating, my mind taking a backseat as my instincts led me down the hallway before I could process what I was doing. I had come to a skidding halt at the last door on the hall.

It was slightly ajar, the powerful smell that had compelled me was coming from within. It had the power to bring me to my knees.

I hesitated, trying to think clearly about what I was supposed to be doing up here.

I looked around, noting that this was the only door that had been open. Alice had said to go to the open room, right?

I couldn't remember. I didn't want to.

I took a hesitant step inside, flicking on the light switch to reveal the mysterious treasures that laid within.

It was a study, just as Alice had said.

It was as if every available inch of space along the walls were crammed with books, a colorful array of hardcovers lined the shelves. There were some spots here and there where an empty space had been left, memorabilia and pictures filling the bare wooden shelves.

At the other end of the room, bookshelves lining the walls behind it, sat an ornate mahogany desk. Equally ornate chairs carved with intricate designs lined with plush green seating, sat facing the larger chair behind the sleek surface. A single computer monitor and keyboard sat on the tabletop.

To the wall next to me, by the door, was a green tufted couch with wood backing. A standing lamp was beside it, a large painting above the furniture. The only wall without bookshelves.

I moved further into the room, the smell grew stronger and more complex. Whoever it belonged to, they spent nearly all their time here. The notes of patchouli, sandalwood, and fir balsam enveloped me in its warm embrace.

If this was Carlisle's scent, I was going to be so embarrassed.

But in that moment, I didn't care.

I spent the time alone looking through the vast spines of the aging books, some tattered and worn from centuries of use, others looked to be fresh off the factory line. I noticed some titles looked familiar, a few I had managed to find in my travels through the city, while others gave me a strong sense of deja vu. Maybe I had read them in a past life?

I made sure to keep my hands close to my sides, not daring to touch anything with my still too strong limbs. I hadn't quite nailed being delicate with fragile things.

I came to a stop at one of the display shelves. There were figurines from a time long passed, and I briefly wondered if anyone in the coven had lived through that time. Carlisle was no doubt older than the modern world, his demeanor and wise eyes made me guess he was turned sometime before the 18th century.

Taking up most of the space was a shadowbox, within it lay different military patches I wasn't familiar with. It was achingly familiar, maybe from something I would have learned in school, the center patch a logo for what I was sure to be a branch of the military. The other most notable patch was one that had been used to signify rank, the age-worn patch was made of a chevron shape, three golden bands forming the triangular shape.

I wondered if it held any personal importance, or why they owned the artifacts. It certainly kept to a theme, the majority of books I had skimmed over were on military history and strategy. Paintings and black and white photographs of military camps, battle scenes, a cavalry.

Carlisle certainly didn't look the type.

"The American Civil War."

I froze in place, every hair on my body raised at the sudden deep sound, the intrusion of the silence. That voice- velvet and deep- I had only heard it once.

I turned around, daring to look at who was at the door. His tall yet muscular body was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed as he watched. I had no idea how long he had been there.

Jasper.

There was something about him.

Something about the way that he watched me.

His honey eyes called to me, and I found it irresistible to look into them. His face was free of the hostility and hardened look it had worn earlier as if replaced by a completely different man.

His gaze left my eyes for a second, roaming over my newly cleaned body, not bothering to hide his staring. I couldn't read the expression. Whether it was one that was impressed or underwhelmed.

I suddenly felt small and powerless under his eyes' hold. Becoming self-conscious, I crossed my arms, trying to take up as little space as possible in the large library.

My mind was swimming with thoughts, trying to understand why he was here. Of all people to seek me out.

I thought this was Carlisle's office.

Suddenly, it clicked in place as I took in a small breath, my body going rigid as my mind pieced it together.

The incredible smell, the one of fresh citrus and dark woodsy notes. It was pouring off his body in waves.

I struggled to react, to think. I was frozen there like a deer in headlights.

 _Very_ uncharacteristic of me.

He grinned slightly, understanding what I was going through was pretty easy with just a simple glance at my horrified expression. Let alone the fact he could literally _feel_ my emotions.

I snapped out of it for the briefest moments, not daring to breathe in the air within a mile of him. It was too intoxicating.

I was mortified and angry at how easily he made me forget who I was, every instinct going slack around him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize- didn't know this was _your_ office," I stammered, for the first time ever. _Since when was I ever left speechless and embarrassed?_

This man was dangerous for my well-being. My usual heightened awareness of the world around me vanished completely.

He took a step closer, entering the room now. I was still frozen, unable to do anything but watch.

His movements were calculated, his eyes never leaving mine, though I knew from months of my own experience what he was doing. Assessing me.

I was prey.

Racking my brain frantically for something to do, I shifted my stance, managing to back up an inch, though I instantly regretted it.

The new position of my body had me trapped against the bookshelf if he decided to attack, his much taller form stopping a mere three feet before me.

He studied me, the smirk slowly fading into a small, sad smile as he watched. Suddenly I felt a sense of calm overtake me, and even though I was embarrassed, I was glad he at least helped me come to my senses.

I wasn't sure what to think of him. If he was a bad guy I needed to look out for, or if he was simply someone I misread.

But there was one thing I was certain about him.

Regardless of how accustomed he was to this life with the Cullens, their ways as social and respectable _people..._ There was a darkness about him. A past that loomed heavily over his head, crowned with a halo of golden curls cascading past his chin.

Scars, jagged and angry, littered the exposed skin of his neck. Just as they did mine.

I fought the desire to touch them, to see if they felt as mine did.

He seemed to catch on to my hopeless state, and that it was going nowhere, so he was kind enough to take the attention off of himself by turning to the shelves behind me, gesturing to the shadowbox I had been so curious about earlier.

He moved to stand before it now, and I slowly inched closer to see, keeping a respectable distance between us.

I didn't want to know what would happen if I touched him. With how every other sense was reacting to him, I wouldn't be surprised if it electrocuted me.

He traced the black frame with his hand lightly, pointing through to the patches that laid within. He pointed to the emblem first, the one with two elegant gold swords crossed.

"This was a patch they gave to the members of the Texas Cavalry," he said, glancing to me for a short moment as I looked at it in curiosity. Soaking up the new information like a sponge. He pointed to the strange chevron patterned one that I had been so perplexed by earlier, a small smile resting on his lips as he studied it as well.

"This is one of the many badges soldiers were given to signify their rank, the wearer gained more marks the higher their position," he said, his smooth voice like music to my ears. I could listen to him talk about anything and be content, but I noted the heavy emotion there in his voice. He had a connection to the item. He continued, tracing his finger over the three interlocking bands, "This indicated that the wearer was the highest in the rank of his division, the Sergeant Major."

I raised a brow, noting the sudden sense of pride in his voice, an unmistakable accent coming out.

The motherfucker had a southern accent.

It was easy to piece together the puzzle.

"So... these were yours?" I asked looking at him apprehensively, my voice uncharacteristically soft. He met my eye, the small smirk back full force. He nodded.

"I don't..." I began, hesitant to speak. I wasn't used to sharing my thoughts. A surge of confidence went through me, Jasper eager to hear what I had to say.

"I don't remember much about the wars, not much of any American history, really," I said honestly, slightly embarrassed at how little I knew. I was still convinced that there might have been a chance I was Canadian, it wasn't off the drawing board just yet. I studied the small black and white photograph framed next to the badges. A scene of what I was sure to be a military encampment. I continued, finding my own rambling to be better than the deafening silence between us.

"I know there were two sides... The civil war was between the states, right?" I asked, hesitant to voice my own uncertainty. He nodded encouragingly, that I was correct.

It was interesting to think about, as we stood there in silence. It was a comfortable one, I knew he wouldn't say anything unless I asked him directly.

It made sense, the way he held himself. Rigid in stance, something he no doubt learned in his time in the military. And the timeframe fit, he was much older than the others, save for Carlisle. That put him to be over 150 years old if the war was during his last years as a human.

I wondered how much of that time was spent outside the Cullen family.

How long did it take him to earn those scars?

Our silence was disturbed suddenly by the approaching of fast, heavy footsteps. It wasn't a second later that the large frame of Emmett stepped through the doorway, having to duck his head to enter. I was still taken back by his size.

He had a wicked grin plastered on his face as he looked between us, myself wishing then more than ever that I was as far away from Jasper as possible. I wasn't an idiot to not understand the meaning of the wiggle Emmett gave of his eyebrows.

He chuckled at my discomfort. Jasper gave him a disapproving look, one that fit Edward better than him.

"Sorry, hope I didn't interrupt anything important," he joked, the mirth at his own jokes evident in his eyes. His giant shoulders moved up and down with his chest as he laughed. He looked at me closely then, giving a mock whistle as he took in the new look Alice had created for me.

"Looks like you clean up pretty darn well, Ms. Priss."

I rolled my eyes, already tired of the antics. And I had only been there for half a day and already I wanted to punch him in the throat. I tightened my hold on my crossed arms once again.

Jasper bristled at the change in emotions of the room, and Emmett backed down the second he noticed the change in his brother's demeanor. He raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry, Jazz. But I mean it! Alice always had a talent for cosmetology, but I think this might be her most dramatic makeover yet."

The good-natured joke earned him a few small laughs from me, the sound echoing from different floors throughout the house as the others agreed.

Emmett gave me a faux charming smile, "I was sent to fetch the lady, everyone is regrouped downstairs if you're up for more boring conversations."

I nodded in agreement, following behind as he led the way out of the room and down the flights of stairs. I was hyper-aware of Jasper's presence behind me, his movements matching each of my own.

It was hard not to look back at him and stare, the newfound information he has been so open about sharing was burning on my mind.

Why decide now to be so relaxed towards me?

The question didn't answer itself by the time we made it to the main sitting room once more.

The other rooms on this floor, as I had learned when Alice hauled me off to give me a new look, was where they had their dining room and kitchen. It was odd that a coven of vampires kept up the facade so thoroughly, though Alice explained it was because of the occasional business of coworkers or friends, like Bella.

Edward had returned, sitting in the same spot once again, though this time he was far more relaxed. No longer worrying about the possibility of me attacking and eating his girlfriend. He gave me a raised brow in return to my dark thoughts. I ignored it.

I sat back down in the same seat as before, choosing to stick to the familiar. The others did the same.

Jasper went back to his place behind the sofa, though I noticed that he was more relaxed. Not as rigid as before.

I looked to Carlisle, waiting for him to begin. We had much to discuss.

And so, we did. We retouched the topic of Riley, and if anyone had drawn any new leads. No one had anything useful, and it was quickly dismissed to the side until something helpful would come along.

Right now, preparing a defense was much more important.

The asked about the skills my siblings had, how well they were able to fight.

Jasper was much more comfortable to speak now, after what happened in his study. It was as if I had unlocked some part of him.

Though I knew he didn't quite trust me, and for good reason, he was less on edge. A mutual, weird understanding between us.

He was more vocal in asking questions, countering everything I said, trying to get all information out of me as possible.

I was surprised at just how much he knew, how the _army_ had worked. But honestly, considering that he clearly had a similar past as me, he was the best person for formulating a plan out of his family.

I had a strong feeling that none of them had ever gotten their hands dirty.

Let alone take another life.

Edward chose not to give that comment any attention, pretending as if he didn't hear my inner monologue.

Well, it was the truth.

The sun had long set by the time the coven had grown tired of talking of tactics and strategy. It had been an incredibly long day, and though as a vampire I could never tire physically, mentally I was spent.

The room had broken off into soft chatters, leaving me there for a brief moment to take it all in.

I had found it strange that these vampires called themselves a family, the term so foreign and wrong on my tongue. But as I had observed their behaviors today, the way they interacted, with such strong positive emotions and loyalty, I was entranced.

A few hours ago, I had been ready to bolt for the door, not wanting in on this strange dynamic.

But now I felt great pause to that initial assumption.

Edward spared me a side glance. A knowing look in his eyes, the amber color now faded into one of a dark muddled black as the presence of his human girl wore down on his hunger.

"You know, you don't have to leave," he said softly, his intention to keep the conversation somewhat between just us. But without strong hearing everyone heard, their own separate conversations dying instantly at his words, each zoning in on what passed between the bronzed haired boy and I.

I nodded, understanding. Carlisle and Esme had already told me that, multiple times throughout the day.

That I had a place to stay should I need it.

It was a tempting offer, one I was hesitant to refuse. There was still so much I wanted to know about these intriguing people.

So much to learn about Jasper and his mysterious pull.

Alice chirped in then before I could give any excuse as to why my absence would be best.

"Really, I've already seen it. I can set you up in the upstairs lounge for the time being," she said, eager to bargain with whatever luxuries she could throw my way to get me to stay. I gave her a small, thankful smile.

Of course, she had seen me staying.

I sighed, uncomfortable at the gesture of being given something. A whole room in someone's house? I couldn't.

"That's generous of you, Alice. Really. It's kind of you all, thank you," I said, looking to each of them then, even to Rosalie, who had yet to relent in her hostile gaze. I didn't blame her, and wouldn't try to convince her otherwise.

She was the only sane one here, rightfully wary of my presence.

"But I don't think my presence will be welcome long, here," I continued, raising a brow. There were many differences between myself and the Cullens, many visible on my skin, my mannerisms.

But there was one I knew couldn't be compromised on their part. A condition that I would have to meet should I choose to live there.

I'd have to convert to their _diet._

Carlisle was the first to catch on, a sigh of realization escaping his thin lips. He gave me a look of understanding.

"I see, I'm sure the strangeness of our vegetarianism is different to you. I understand the decision to convert is a hard one, and it's yours to make," he said, nodding to reiterate his words, "however, you must know that in order to stay here, in this territory, converting is the only option. We value the lives of humans above all else, and their protection comes first. Even from ourselves."

I thought about it for a long moment.

It would be hard, and I worried I would break easily.

I had done very well as a newborn with controlling my thirst, never once unintentionally attacking someone. But that was because I had been given an unrestricted free range of the city, any time I wished to feed I could. So more often than not I would feed in excess, never going hungry.

I hadn't faced the thirst head-on since I was only a few weeks old. I didn't know how I would react if I changed.

Edward, sensing these thoughts and self-doubt, stepped in then, offering words of encouragement to try and sway me.

My presence here was valuable to them, as they were to me. They provided me with extra force in taking Riley down.

I was their eyes and ears into the vampire army that threatened them.

"It might help if you have some assistance at first, someone to guide you through the transition. A keeper," he said, eyes darting between me and Carlisle, eyes asking if the suggestion were alright. Alice smiled wickedly, whatever she saw from Edward's bargain couldn't be good for me.

I quirked a brow at him, my interest peaked.

"Just give it a few days, see how it is. If you feel it doesn't work out, then you're free to leave. No questions asked. We'll understand. But if you can try, and it goes well, I promise you won't regret it."

I thought about it for a moment.

I was given a choice, one I had never imagined being given. I nodded in agreement, a smirk forming on Edward's face as he reeled me in.

There was a happy commotion around me, the deal was struck.

What was the worst that could happen?

"Wonderful! Then it's settled, Jasper will be there every step of the way to guide you. Tomorrow, he can take you hunting!" Carlisle exclaimed.

That could happen. _Definitely_ that.

My wide, terrified eyes were simply met with a pair of smug honey ones.

Shit.


	8. Houston, We Have A Problem

I was going to kill him.

As another laugh of mockery echoed off the walls of the large mansion, I decided for sure.

Yes, I was _indeed_ going to kill him.

I had spent an entire twenty-four-hour period with the Cullens, inside their odd yet lovely home. During which time, I had been given a space to roam at my leisure, had a short but sweet chat with the matriarch of the coven, and had been completely humiliated by the blond man with eyes like fire.

The last part certainly left a damper on the otherwise good mood of my day.

It had been during the early hours of the next morning, myself emerging from the confines of the spacious movie room on the third floor as I made my way downstairs, where my... _teacher_ awaited me.

I had half the mind to stay in the luxurious lounge space, curled up on one of the many plush sofas with a book as I had done for the last eight hours, Carlisle having been so kind as to lend me a few books to read when he found I enjoyed them. Of course, they were the newer and flimsier copies that he didn't mind getting ruined, as I still hadn't quite mastered a gentle touch with my strength.

Even then, I wished I could have stayed in that room. But I had made a deal, to alter my diet in exchange for their help in taking down Riley.

I needed this alliance more than I wanted to avoid being stranded with Jasper in the middle of the forest.

I knew I would come to eat my words, but that would just have to wait.

I had a date with death.

He stood waiting for me on the back lawn, just near the tree line where I had first encountered the strange group of vampires. Where I had met his entrancing eye.

It took everything in me not to meet them yet again as I approached him, but I did spare a quick glance his way. It was impossible not to.

He had changed into a much more relaxed outfit; worn-in denim jeans, a dark grey sweatshirt that clung nicely along his arms and broad chest, dark leather boots.

He was gorgeous, and it made me hyperaware of my less than attractive outfit. Alice had insisted that I not ruin the nice clothes she had given me last night, talking me into changing into an outfit that I assumed to be some form of athletic wear. I wore snug black leggings, a light blue tank top under a thin running jacket, with matching blue sneakers. I had a feeling they wouldn't keep their nice color for long.

I was itching to take them off, to feel the earth under my toes. But Jasper's presence made me a bit on edge, and I couldn't help the unease that flowed through my body at his proximity. I wanted to move into a defensive stance every time he moved.

And he was aware of my weariness, too. He was smart enough to keep his hands displayed by his side, posture still tall but not as rigid as the past interactions. He knew too well the skittish nature of a young vampire.

The list of differences between him and his family only grew by the mile each time I studied him.

He gave a small nod in greeting, to which I returned with my own stiff one. His face was unreadable, and I was glad. Rather that than the irritating smirk he had worn the day before. It was time to get down to business.

"So, how far out does the hunting grounds extend?" I asked, averting my eyes to the tree line. His gaze followed suit as he answered, voice just as deep and smooth as it had been the day before. The last time he had spoken a word to me.

"The property extends west for about another two hundred acres, where it meets the national park line. We primarily hunt there, and it's about fifteen hundred miles in total area."

I contemplated the numbers, trying to decide if they meant anything to me. It was big, I knew. But it was hard to comprehend fifteen hundred miles when I had, until now, been limited to the mere eighty of Seattle.

It excited me.

With a nod from me that I understood, he made his way forward into the bush and shrubbery of the tree line, myself following suit right behind him. I matched his stride, intentionally keeping a small distance behind him. He stopped after a few yards, ourselves completely immersed in the vibrant greens and browns of nature.

It was a stark contrast to the grey and dull browns of the city, and I was still getting used to the contrast. I could have just stood there, in awe, staring up at the tall, ancient trees towering over me.

Jasper looked my way before stopping, and I forced myself to look away from the beautiful sky to meet his gaze. Again, his face was unreadable. I had a feeling the stern look never left it for long, and if it did, it was replaced by that stupid smirk.

But it wasn't there today, not with what was ahead. It was a test of my loyalty, as well as self-control.

If I couldn't manage a hunt _sans_ humans, how could I continue to stay with them?

"There are a few things you should know before we depart," the words left his mouth slowly, the drawl that had slipped out in that odd moment between us the night before in his study had returned, the deepness of it pleased my ears. I nodded hesitantly for him to go on, that I was listening.

"First, for your safety and mine, I ask that when you do catch a scent of prey, that you let me know before running off. Vampires are feral in their feeding, and once you track down the scent there will be little to no cognition in your actions. Simply instincts will be controlling you, like on autopilot," he said, evening his gaze. His tone taking a turn to that of the military commander he had been once upon a time. Demanding and serious.

It irritated that it fit him.

I steeled my gaze in return, squaring back my shoulders. It was involuntary, the commanding tone he used put me on edge as I realized that he was the one in control here. Not me. The only person who had ever told me what to do- and got away with it- was Riley.

So, this was how it was going to be.

I raised a brow, not liking the fact that he was being bossy, but reminding myself that I had little say in what he did, I relented. I nodded stiffly for him to go on.

He could no doubt sense the irritation that I was feeling at his leadership, his face relaxing slightly to reveal the smallest of grins. I could have sworn there was a twinkle there in his eyes if the light hit them just right. I wanted to hit him, too.

"Secondly, while the park is vast and grand in size, there is no guarantee that the path we take will be completely free of humans. This time of year isn't peak tourist season, but on occasion there is the lone hiker or two," he said, his jaw clenching tightly before he continued with whatever it was that he was insinuating, "That's why I will go ahead, at least a few hundred yards, to ensure we don't catch their scent. But in the case that we do.. you _must_ stay in control, resist the urge to hunt them."

His insinuation that I lacked control struck a nerve, and I dared raise a brow. A scowl of my own was pulling at my lips.

 _Me_? Lack control?

Granted, there were the occasional slip-ups. But given that I fed almost always in excess, even when I wasn't hungry, it meant I had never snapped. My siblings, on the other hand, had snapped many a time. It was difficult to deal with, let alone clean up. But me? Never.

"I can hold my liquor, thanks," I said, snappily. My pride a bit stung by his comment.

He gave a scoff and humored look of his own, shaking his head. I noted the way his golden hair danced around his face at the movement.

"While I'm sure you can, I'm only warning you. Carlisle made it clear of how we live our lives, and we take the safety of all humans very seriously. Even if it means interfering with our own kind to prevent any harm from coming to them," he said, a sense of implication there in his words. It took a moment for it to click.

They valued humanity above all else. Meaning, if it came to it, he would put an end to _me_ before I could even think of ending one of them.

I fought to roll my eyes.

I didn't understand their obsession with protecting humans. Sure, I could understand that not all humans were bad. I myself, for the most part, had only preyed on the scum of society. But to even let those terrible people live free, too? I didn't get it.

It was a question that would have to wait another day.

"So, what am I supposed to hunting for today?" I asked, well aware my voice was far from chipper. I paced around the small clearing we had settled in, eyes trained on the way my feet scuffed up small billows of soil each time I stepped. I didn't bother hiding my disdain as I continued to taunt, "Rabbits? Squirrels?

Or is there a greater delicacy on the table- such as a cricket or frog, perhaps?"

I was pushing it, I knew. But daring a look back at him, where he hadn't moved from his place, I was pleasantly surprised to find the smallest gleam of humor in his eyes. There, at the corner of his lip, if you looked close enough, it was raised as he fought valiantly to keep from laughing.

It was strange to realize that I liked provoking such a reaction from him, but I tucked that thought deep into the darkness of my mind as soon as it came. I was not going to let myself even toy with where that thought train was going.

"No, no crickets today. That's usually reserved for holidays," he jest, though the tone of his voice didn't change. "We're actually going to be tracking down mountain lions."

I raised a brow, surprised at the revelation of today's menu. I hadn't thought about those, and it intrigued me to think of how I would do it. I'd never been in close quarters with any animals save for the occasional sewer rat and stay cat that roamed the city streets.

I made my way back over to him slowly, giving a sigh.

"Well, let's get on with it then."

And at his nod in agreement, we did.

It was easy to keep up with him as we ran, he kept to a straight and narrow path that was worn down from what must have been years of use, the plant life flattened to the earth from trampling, quick feet. Leaping over rocks, dodging the occasional low-hanging limb of a tree, crossing a small stream.

I had never felt so alive.

We ran for miles, eventually breaking out of the dense trees of the forest and along the foothills of the mountains. Trees still scattered the area, providing shade and cover from the open rocks. We made our way around the mountain, and after a few miles further, Jasper stopped. I haunted my step a few yards behind him, immediately turning to take in the scenery around us.

He breathed heavily, turning to his left, and for a moment I was curious as to what he was doing. Was he lost?

But apparently not, he knew what he was doing, as he turned around to face me. I stilled, moving to stand tall as he approached.

He came to stand beside me on my right, careful to keep a small space between us. He pointed ahead, to the side of a rocky hill about a mile north from us. Even with our strong eyesight, there was little I could make out from here. I was curious to know what I was supposed to be looking for. I turned my head to look at him slightly, a look of confusion in my eye. He met my gaze quickly before turning back to look ahead, suddenly the short distance between us very obvious and uncomfortable. But I was glad he made no indication that it made him feel the same, his face free of emotion.

"There- just above that ridge, that's where you'll find them," he said, before shifting to stand about a yard behind me. "Close your eyes."

I hesitated but obeyed. I became hyper-aware of his presence, the sound of his feet shifting shuffling the soil beneath him. The leaves of the trees ruffling in the soft breeze.

"Listen closely, focus in on your surroundings. Take a deep breath," he said, I noted the tone of his voice had changed. Much softer, kinder.

I did as he said, bracing myself for the onslaught of smells, particularly his overpowering one that made me weak in the knees. It was hard to concentrate, to push past the overwhelming desire to focus on him, but I did my best. After a moment, I could decipher them; the deep and rich smell of the earth, the fresh cool of the breeze, the crisp grass.

I was expecting to feel the same reaction to the scent of animal blood as I did for human, the strong pull in my gut, the burn of my throat as I took in the sweet delectable smell. But I didn't catch it, not at first.

It was like the blood was almost muted, hidden behind a much stronger musk, and at first, I thought I must have been mistaken. But the sound of their heartbeats- three strong, one faster but lighter, a cub- I was assured that it was the mountain lions.

Alice had been right in her musings, they didn't smell nearly as appetizing.

But blood was blood, and the all too familiar burn in the back of my throat roared to life.

It was like something in me clicked, the tether that kept me composed and civilized snapped, my instincts taking over.

I nearly rushed away, but the words Jasper had said earlier echoed in my mind. I managed to spare a quick glance back at him, and his curt nod was all I needed.

I sped off in the direction of my meal.

It was exhilarating, the rush of the cold wind in my face as I sped through the tall foliage of the land, not even hesitating to jump when the ground turned to stone, my feet gliding across the rocks as I landed firmly. I couldn't help the proud grin that plastered across my face at the grace I was naturally able to have in my movements, I felt like I was on fire.

The only thing to put out that flame was the meal that waited for me on the other side of the hill.

I slowed in my movements when I reached the flat peak of the mound, gripping my fingers into the cold stone as I assessed the prey below me.

Just as I had sensed, there were three large mountain lions, huddled together in what I assumed to be their pack. One lay on its side, the cub curled under its belly. The mother and her child.

The two male lions lazily circled the small cove they had settled in, completely oblivious to my presence.

Every instinct screamed at me to attack, to capture my prey. But I waited- forcing what control I had over me, taking time to process my thoughts. How to tactically go into this, rather than just massacring them all.

I wanted the males, their scents the strongest, blood richest and largest in quantity. The female and her cub would be a waste, letting them live would allow for good hunts at a future time.

After processing my thoughts, like a drunk trying to tie their shoe, I let go of the little control I had, the monster within roaring back to life as I threw myself down the hill.

I landed flat on my feet, taking down the largest male with me. His neck snapped instantly. The others startled, but I had been too quick, and before they could scurry away I had the other male down, the female using that time to pick the cub up in her mouth. She climbed over the rocks and to safety as I played with my food.

The large cat could give little fight as he thrashed against me, my hold simply too strong to fight. It was a piece of cake, crushing his ribs and spine as I tightened my hold around him. He fell limp beneath me.

I went over to the largest male, and with little hesitance in repulsion at the fur and musk that gathered at the nap of its thick neck, I sank my teeth in, taking in the sweet nectar I had craved.

The moment the blood hit my taste buds I considered spitting it out, the blood tasting nothing like the sweet and spicy warmth that accompanied that of a human. It was dull and bland; the warmth of its freshness was the only good thing about it.

But it dulled the burn in my throat, and that was all I needed it to do. So, I continued to feed, moving to the second beast when the first was completely dry.

I took my time, the new experience felt as if I had fallen into the Twilight Zone- the actions foreign and completely unnatural.

Not that my existence was natural, to begin with.

I savored the moment, happily realizing that I was alone in the vast park, having laid claim to the spot. No buzzing noise of cars and city life, the constant worry of passerbys and other newborns to come in and try to steal my meal.

My silence was disturbed by a rustling from the rock that I had climbed over earlier, the scuffing of feet over the crumbling stone sent me into high alert, the memories of all the encounters I had had with my siblings coming back, sending my mind into overdrive as the instincts fueled me.

I growled, moving to stand over the last corpse I had taken down, the blood not yet drained completely. And I was going to protect it, it was mine.

_Mine._

As their face peered over the top of the mound I bristled, eyes narrowed further as I growled even louder, baring my teeth in warning. They needed to back away, get away from what was mine.

They slowly descended the mound, moving closer into the lion's den, each movement closer in my direction made me angrier, making my hair stand on end as I grew more on edge. Ready to fight the second they showed any weakness.

He raised his hands out to his sides, showing surrender, but I didn't back down, not when my instincts were all but screaming at me to take him down, any hope for clear judgment thrown out the window.

He spoke then, the smooth and deep voice prickling my ears in a pleasing way, and I fought to make sense of the words in my frenzied haze.

"It's me, Jasper. I'm not going to hurt you- I'm not here for your prey," he said evenly, eyes never leaving mine as he spoke. The bright gold was dazzling, and I barely managed to pick out a single coherent phrase from his ramblings.

_Jasper._

I knew Jasper, I rationalized, slowly. Why was he here? What did he want? He was here for my food! He was going to take- No. No, he wouldn't take my prey. It's mine. _Mine._ He knows that. He wants to help- Help.

Jasper.

Slowly I began to calm, the sensation of foreign emotion taking hold of me, and I began to slowly relax.

It was another moment before I was able to think coherently, moving to a more upright stance, though still guarded.

I didn't meet his eye as I regained complete control, slightly embarrassed that he was the one who had brought me back to reality.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, looking down at my clothes for the first time, taking in the now tattered and crimson-stained shirt and jacket. my face was no doubt messy as well, the ends of my hair matted in blood.

"Thank you," I said, voice hoarse, and I cleared my throat once more. I crossed my arms again, falling back into the habit I had quickly formed of trying to hide my form from his gaze.

I was powerful, but he was even more so. It wounded my pride to show any more weakness than I already had.

"You're welcome," he said, watching me closely, looking for something amiss. I met his gaze briefly to assure that I was, indeed, fine, before looking away.

We stood there in silence for a moment, simply taking in the carnage I had created, laid out before us.

I didn't know what to say, what to do, to break the awkward tension between us. I tried to start up small talk, but given my lack of experience with being civil, it wasn't the best material.

"They tasted like shit," I said, bluntly, kicking my foot into the rock, causing the small section to break loose, crumbling down.

He chuckled, shaking his head.

"You did good, the first hunt is always the easiest," he said, there was something about his tone that made me look up. Curious as to what he was alluding to.

"From here it only gets harder, once you step away from human blood, relying only on that of animals, the harder it is to be around them. Especially when you have been groomed to expect it in excess as you have."

I could only manage a nod in agreement, the fact laying heavily on my shoulders. He was right. The only thing to do now was to rough it through the new transition.

To wait and see if I snapped the next time I encountered a human.

I sighed, the only thing I could offer in response. It was a grim topic, but honestly, what wasn't?

I wasn't from their world, where the only thing to worry about was a restricted diet and keeping up appearances for humans.

We walked down the side of the small foothill and through the rolling grass fields in silence, turning our focuses to the world around us. Myself easily preoccupied with taking in the wide-open spaces for the first time, seeing the Earth in harmony with the wildlife was fascinating. I don't think Jasper could blame me for not being in a hurry to get back to the mansion, being cooped up within its stuffy walls. And his odd family.

After a time, Jasper spoke up, stealing my attention from the blue horizon, hidden behind the copious amounts of gloomy clouds.

Again, the unsettling fact that we were alone set me slightly on edge. The one person in the coven who was an actual threat, one who, if he chose to, could take me down without even blinking.

I thought that the more I was around him, the easier he would be to understand. By now I had thought I would have him completely figured out, something that normally came to me quite easily. Yet, I felt I knew him even less than I had yesterday.

He was too complicated, holding so many secrets, locked away tightly behind those golden eyes.

I wanted to know what horrors he had seen, the person he had been before the Cullens.

He turned to look at me, face on, and I couldn't help the way it made me bristle. I stiffened up, the look on his face was a serious one, but a strange look of curiosity was there, too.

"So, you truly don't remember anything from your past life?" he asked, not holding back in his bluntness, his tone much stronger and demanding than anything he had said before. I quickly pieced together what he was doing, interrogating.

There was a protocol he followed in front of his family, a calm and collected, restrained Jasper. This- this was just Jasper. The one that he had patiently waited to bring out when it was just us, alone, in the middle of nowhere.

I needlessly gulped, the trickles of fear prickling my skin making me stammer for words. I was thrown off by it, and I realized that he must have been waiting, planning for this. It was a tactic I had used countless times on my siblings- catching them at a vulnerable time. What an idiot I was to not think he would do the same.

"No, I don't remember a single thing," I said, after a long minute of an intense staredown. Neither of us moving, standing alone in the vast open fields that seemed to go on forever. No one would interrupt us.

No one would stop him.

I shifted my stance to a stronger one, breaking away momentarily from the shock and fear that had poured over me, planting my feet firmly on the ground, the blades of the tall grass tickling my knees. He raised a brow, challenging. No doubt not believing a single word.

But I remembered he could read emotions, faces. He would know if I lied, so I answered as simply and honestly as I could. Without his compassionate and soft leader here to defend me, nothing would stop him from tearing me limb from limb if I didn't.

He shot off a list of questions, one after another, most those that had already been asked by his family. But here and now, it was impossible for me to ramble and lie. He had me caught off guard, and there would be nowhere to run. If there were answers to be found, he intended to get them now.

"Did you know Riley's true plans prior to two days ago?"

"No."

"Did he send anyone else with you?"

"No."

I quickly grew irritated, the fear that had iced my veins had now turned to an angry boil, flowing through me. I was moments from snapping.

"Was Riley the true and only leader? Did he have an accomplice?"

" _No, and no."_

 _"_ Did he ever punish you?"

At the last question I snapped, the turn he was taking was enough. I couldn't continue the interrogation, or comprehend why he would even care.

" _Look,_ I've told you all that I know. Everything from when I was changed down to the details of my daily life. I had one job, up until he sent me here. I was just a shepherd tasked with tending to his sheep. Feed them, train them- hell- _kill_ them when he grew tired of them or if they proved weak. And I've told you my intentions, I want to take Riley down. With or without your help. He's a dead man walking as far as I'm concerned."

I clenched my jaw, eyes glaring into his, those golden eyes turning from an irritated glare into an amused one at my words.

He hadn't expected me to bite back. Well, I didn't nibble. I devoured.

"And why do you even care, hmm? Clearly, you're no saint like the rest of your coven. The way they move, interact, even the way they _speak_ tells me all I need to know- that they've never seen the likes of me or the world I come from," I said, pausing for a moment to gather my thoughts, to calm. I raised a brow at him, the amusement fading away into a grim look. The tight-lipped grin falling into a frown at my next words.

"But you.. _you_ have seen what I have. Far worse, in fact, if I had to guess. I recognize your demeanor, the way you command a room without even meaning to, scanning it for the best points of defense and where the exit points are. You've done it so much that it's become a natural part of you. And the scars.." I looked down at my own hands at the words, the scars that littered the pale skin there, not bothering to hide the heated bitterness that laced my tone.

I looked up to him grimly, eyes piercing his in their bitterness.

"The scars will never go away, no matter how hard you try to hide them. You are what you are, and even though I'm only just beginning this life... I already know that, no matter how long I live it differently from here, no matter how hard I try to outrun it, I never will. I've accepted that, but I don't think you have."

The words cut into him like ice, I could tell by the way he moved back a step, his jaw clenching. Eyes burning into mine as the words hit him in the face.

For a moment I regretted them, it painfully twisted something deep inside me- made me want to take it all back and make him happy- but I didn't. I couldn't. It was true, and he needed to hear it. I knew none of the vampires up in that stuffy house had ever spoken to him the way I just had, whether that be for better or for worse in my case.

But I felt like he needed to hear it.

We stood there for a long moment then, trapped in another stare down. His expression shown nothing to give me any clue to what he possibly could be feeling, anger or hurt, I didn't know. But I didn't hide mine, the challenge and irritation no doubt showing over every inch of my expression. I clenched my hands by my side, eager to do something- kick down a tree, punch a rock to bits- anything to ebb away the strong frustration.

But he didn't move, didn't try to erase the emotions I felt, as he had done so many times in the last twenty-four hours.

Maybe I had broken him, I wondered. Or did he just not care at all, even before I ran my mouth. But nothing, no matter how strong my emotions were, he didn't change them, didn't do anything about them. He just stood there, taking it in. Thinking, empty eyes never leaving mine.

Eventually, I grew tired of it, the anger and frustration ebbing away as time went by, my mind wandering to so many other things that it was impossible to stay focused. There were so many things I wanted to know about this man already, and I had just met him. But boy, did I have a lot to question him about, too. Things I wanted to demand him to answer.

Starting with the annoying way he made me feel. Not the anger, or the irritation, but that _weird, consuming_ feeling. The one that had sent me almost to my knees, every time I had looked at him. I was sure it was something he did to intimidate me, make me weak. His odd power working its magic against me. I wanted to know why he did that.

But this wasn't the time. The last thing I needed was to push him too far, having already seemingly pushed him to his limits. The last thing I needed was to lose a limb.

I huffed exasperatedly, and with a roll of my eye and shake of my head I stormed off. Whatever he was doing, I was over it. We would get nowhere just standing there, and I knew if I didn't move, we'd be there forever.

I was almost to the tree line when he finally moved, I could hear the rustling of the tall grass behind me. I didn't dare look back.

As soon as I breached the forest I took off in a run, ready to get back to the Cullen home. The tattered books Carlisle had lent me were far better company than this goon.

He didn't try to catch up or pass me, instead, he kept a distance behind me. His pace slower, even though I knew he could keep up easily. I was somewhat thankful for the space, though that irritating part of me ached in worry that it was because I had wounded him in some way.

I pushed that thought away so fast I didn't dare try to process it, or what it meant. I wouldn't pity him.

Nearing the property, he sped up, his pace nearly matching mine, though he kept right on my heels. I could feel his emotions again, whether he truly felt them or if they were fake I wasn't sure, but the feelings enveloped me and I couldn't help the way they made me feel. Much to my dismay.

I felt humored, elated. Proud. It was odd, and surely not real as I knew there was no way I could have possibly made him feel anything close to those feelings. He should have been angry, absolutely livid at me for saying such harsh things.

It irritated me.

Which I quickly put together that, of course, that was the point. He wasn't going to give me the satisfaction or closure that I wanted. He knew the feelings would piss me off, not giving me the satisfaction to see him fall. I glared back at him when I put two and two together, and the smirk that plastered itself on his face at my look made my venom boil.

That bastard.

Suddenly he took charge, leaping over a fallen branch to my left, putting him yards ahead of me. I scoffed in irritation, the action pissing me off even further, trying to speed up to beat him.

I somehow found myself in a race.

But he was impossible to catch up to, every time I would gain a yard he pushed even faster, reaching a speed I eventually couldn't muster. He was simply too fast.

Breaking the tree line finally, we entered the backyard. He came to a halt ahead of me, feet flawlessly stopping into a light jog. Myself, however, trying to copy his smooth moves, ended up butchering the neatly manicured lawn. I halted my step too firmly, ending up sliding several yards, bringing up mounds of soil with me in the process, like a baseball player sliding into home plate.

I sat there, scowling, in the dirt. Embarrassed and irritated at myself. Jasper walked over, leaning over me, arms crossed, a smirk plastered on his face. I glared daggers at him.

There was commotion from the home ahead, and at the booming laughter that pierced the sky, I knew I would never live this down. The family had no doubt gotten a full show thanks to the glass walls of the home.

As Emmett and Michael sped over to mock and pick at me more, Jasper took his leave, disappearing behind the two jokesters and into the house.

The giggles and jokes the two buffoons threw at me fell on semi-deaf ears, my mind still preoccupied with the anger I felt at the blond vampire.

Even as I sulked back into the home, led by the two _still_ throwing around jokes at my expense, I couldn't shake it.

It wasn't until I met Esme's eye did my mind move away from the thoughts of Jasper. I gave her an apologetic look. I had completely butchered her lawn, the one she no doubt spent hours of her time perfecting. But at her soft smile and humored eyes, I couldn't help but offer her the same, joining in on their laughter.

Alice came dancing down the stairs, her gasp at the sight of my bloodied and dirtied clothes sending her into cleaning mode. She all but pulled me up the stairs with her, and by now I knew the routine she was about to put me through. With a towel and cloth thrown in my direction, which I caught, I made my way into the bathroom suite she pushed me towards.

I took my time in the shower, not wanting to face the world outside the lovely distraction the warm water gave me. I didn't want to think about Jasper or his stupid, cute smirk. _Especially_ not his cute, stupid smirk.

The steaming water from the showerhead did little to drown out the noise from the boys downstairs, the jokes continuing to go on even after I had retreated in shame.

The laughter echoed off the walls, and I was irritated to hear that Jasper had now joined in on the poking fun at my expense, his deep chuckle blending with the boom of Emmett's.

I ground my teeth when he made a joke, one about the way I had tried to attack him when he came upon my hunt, and I broke the soap bar in two with my tight grip at the sound of his smooth voice, the amusement there.

I was going to kill him.

As another laugh of mockery echoed off the walls of the large mansion, I decided for sure.

Yes, I was _indeed_ going to kill him.

In my storm of wrath, I rinsed off quickly, nearly breaking the faucet, too when I shoved it to the side to stop the water. I didn't bother hiding my rage, even though I knew I was being a sour sport for letting him get under my skin.

_This is what he wants, stupid._

I told myself as I dried off hurriedly with the plush towel, throwing it to the side and into the hamper by the toilet. I threw on the oversized grey sweater and ripped blue jeans. I slid on the white converse Alice had let me pick out, before stomping my way up the stairs.

Not even bothering to tame the wild, wet tangles of my hair as I threw open the door of the movie room and plopping down into the plush cushions of the couch.

I was pissed, and it made me even more so knowing that I was letting him win by feeling so.

It was a game I knew I wouldn't win. But I was too prideful, I would never admit it, no matter how angry I was.

So being the stubborn person I was, I threw myself into reading a book, though I couldn't find it in myself to take in the words I found there on the pages. Rereading the lines over and over again, my mind preoccupied with the blond boy who knew how to press every button I had, the good and the bad ones.

The hours passed painfully slow, and my frustration barely dimmed for a while, until eventually, I managed to distract myself with the book. I found that not breathing was the key, as his scent flooded every inch of the corridor. Breathing it in only made the flood of thoughts about him worse.

I was finally content, finding some peace within the marvelous work of Mary Shelley when I felt a presence at the door. I stilled, waiting for the person to let themselves in. Bracing for whoever it may be. I prayed that it wasn't Jasper.

But damn it, of course, it was.

He eased in slowly, not moving from his place by the door.

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to deal with him anymore for the rest of the day, raising the book over and closer to my face to hide him from view.

I could practically see the smirk that plastered his face through the thick pages of the book, the burn of his gaze hot on my face.

He moved closer, so close that his knees brushed the edge of the couch, his tall form leaning over me.

I threw the book down to my lap in irritation, glaring up at him expectantly.

The irritation was back full force, with one look at him. It made me angry to know that I found him attractive, that feeling he evoked in me was as present as ever. The amused look in his eye told me all I needed to know, that he was _well_ aware of it.

"What do you want?" I growled, the scowl eating away at my lips, eyebrow raised expectantly. I crossed my arms.

He grinned, his arms crossed tightly across his broad chest. He shrugged.

"I'm not quite sure, but I believe an apology is in order," he said, amused.

I scoffed, nodding in agreement. Indeed, there was.

"You're right. How nice of you to do so. I'm sure it was hard on your ego to come up here," I mocked, moving to pick the book back up. I trained my eyes on the page, though we both knew I was doing anything but reading.

Suddenly he snatched the book from my hand, and I had little time to do anything but look up at him surprised, a look of shock in my eye.

Before I could protest or say anything he had leaned down, arms over the back of the couch and on the armrest above me, caging me in. He leaned dangerously close to my face, and I couldn't help but shrink back, putting as much distance between myself and the man above me.

A look mixed between sheer amusement and eyes alight with a fiery darkness shone on his face, his mouth tight in a smug line. Caught between wanting to grit his teeth and smirk at the reaction of fear he caused.

I knew it was him that fueled the feelings of fear and shock within me, heightening the emotions that were already there. He relished in it, a smirk forming on his handsome face as he took in the expression I wore, one no doubt mixed with fear, irritation, and much to my horror, attraction.

He leaned in even closer, his cool breath tickling my ear, my now air-dried hair tucked behind it, "Don't get this twisted, darlin'," he breathed, and I stiffened at the mocking term of endearment, spiking the cocktail of emotions further. It was overwhelming. I could only look on in horror.

"You may have a further insight into the world that I come from, but it doesn't quite take a genius to tell that I'm not the saint of the family," he said, his eyes narrowed as he spoke, words hushed and fast. I could only blink, still held captive under the intense control of his power. The edges around his form began to blur, and I managed to put the thoughts together that it was because I was shaking. I was so terrified- that I was _shaking._

His smirk returned for the smallest moment as he did a once over of my pitiful form, eyes burning holes into mine as he grit out the next words, "But don't _ever_ assume that your knowledge gives you a competitive edge over me, or that you know anything other than what's visible. There are far worse horrors that you could only _dream_ of knowing.

So thank your lucky stars, darlin', and keep your nose out of it. Before you find yourself experiencing it first hand."

The moment the last word left his mouth it was as if the emotions had been pulled back, sealed away within the man above me. He stepped back a few feet, and it took me a moment to brave moving from my curled-in position.

There was a long moment of us just looking at one another, myself bewildered at what had just happened. He had threatened me.

And I believed every bit of it. I _never_ wanted to find out what his words implied.

He was satisfied by my reaction it seemed, as with a simple nod of his head he departed. I didn't move an inch until I heard his steps as he made his way downstairs and out the backdoor.

The house was silent, not a soul daring to move either until he left, no doubt having heard the threats.

I wondered if he could control how large an area the emotions spread to- had the entire house been frozen in terror, too?

It was a lot to process, first trying to shake the fear, then the creeping guilt that overtook me.

I had run my mouth, crossed a line. One that I knew better than to cross.

I wouldn't make that mistake again.

But it left me beyond confused, it made the puzzle that was Jasper Hale even more complicated.

Was he a foe, now? Or simply giving me a warning?

I didn't know what to decide, my instincts a muddled mess. Part of me wanting to make it my goal to avoid him forever, while the other half- as much as I hated it- wanted to cling to his side, never letting go.

I scoffed to myself, finally picking back up the book I had discarded, shaking my head.

Damn, Jasper Hale. And his stupidly beautiful face.

* * *

It seemed as if, in the blink of an eye, another day had passed.

The sun was setting, casting a rainbow of pastel colors across the floor of the kitchen, where I sat at the bar while Esme scurried about as she put together a dish for Bella. She was to be arriving any minute, Edward reluctantly agreeing to Esme's pleas that she visit.

Any excuse to cook up a meal, Esme took it.

At some point during that afternoon, I had made my way down to the living room, where Alice had roped me into a game of chess.

As far as I knew, I had never played the game, giving the pixie the perfect opportunity to teach me as well as get to know me.

The best she could, anyway. There were few interesting facts for me to tell.

But the game quickly became frustrating for me, as her ability to predict my every move led to three games of loss for me, and smug victories for her.

Carlisle and Esme joined us in the warm space after he returned from his work, which I found to be fascinating. A vampire who pursued a career as a doctor.

It was the most ironic thing, and it baffled me. Even with his supposed perfect control.

It was only after my sore loss against Emmett in a game of Mario Cart on his gaming system did Esme all but drag me into the kitchen, my ego severely bruised from a day of tragic losses.

No one brought up Jasper, no one daring to risk bringing the tension back full force. He hadn't returned from wherever he had run off to all those hours ago, and I didn't want to know.

The distance between us was probably for the best.

We didn't mix well together at all, like oil and water.

The sooner I accepted that, the better.

It angered me that the idea pained me a little bit, tugging tightly at a spot in my chest. Something I had never experienced before.

Throwing myself into learning how to knead and shape the dough of a pizza was my answer to drowning out those thoughts, Esme having to rescue the dough more than once from the ceiling.

I couldn't help that I naturally threw it too high.

But as the oven dinged, signaling the cheese pizza was done, I was overcome with an emotion that I was quickly learning to love.

Contentment.

I was starting to understand why the Cullens acted and lived the way that they did. Sure, there were many things still that I couldn't comprehend, such as their diet and desire to actually mingle with humans. But the desire to live as a family, taking advantage of modern technology such as a fully equipped home and the luxuries of fashion?

It made sense.

And I realized that I wanted that for myself, too.

My moments of fantasizing at the counter were interrupted by the approaching of a car down the long driveway, the crunch of gravel and hum of engine signaling Edward and Bella's arrival.

Esme paused in her washing the dishes, a beaming smile lighting up her face as she heard them, too. She then sped through the remaining dishes faster than one could blink, each piece laying shiny and dry on the rack. She took off her apron and smoothed her clothes before gliding over to me, the sweetest look of excitement in her eyes. I couldn't help but return a small grin of my own.

"Oh, they're here! I hope she likes what we cooked up, I haven't made pizza since the second time she came over. I completely butchered the tomato sauce, it's such a shame it doesn't taste good to us," she rambled on, as we made our way down the hall. She went to the door, where Carlisle already waited for her to greet the two. I made my way into the living room.

I took a seat in the lounge chair by the fire, wanting to place myself as far from the center of attention as possible. The less Bella noticed me, the better the evening would go. The last thing I wanted was for everyone to feel uncomfortable or threatened by my presence.

I momentarily contemplated leaving for the evening, sticking to the outskirts of the property until she left. But I shook the idea quickly, that would put me at risk of running into Jasper. The last thing I needed was to be alone with him.

Neither of us were guaranteed to survive that.

As Bella and Edward made their way inside, Alice floated into the room, moving to sit at the armrest of the couch beside me.

She gave me a small smile and a reassuring nod, that apparently, I wouldn't mess this up.

Small talk was exchanged for a bit, as Esme brought Bella into the kitchen, fixing her a plate of pizza and salad that she had carefully prepared. Bella's whisper of shy thanks delighted Esme, her smile never once fading even after they had all settled into the living room.

The couple sat on the couch opposite of me, Bella quietly taking her time eating the food as the others conversed around her. I found myself caught in a conversation with Michael and Alice, the two telling me about their travels through New England, insisting that I must see it one day.

Halfway through her gushing over the supposed breathtaking sights of the Hamptons, she froze, eyes glazing over. I reached out, laying a hand lightly on her thigh.

"Alice? Are you alright?" I asked, worriedly. My words caught the attention of the others, all heads snapping in our direction, each awaiting for Alice to return to the earth, sharing what she saw.

If Edward's blanched expression was any indicator, it wasn't good.

With a gasp and rapid blink of her pale yellow eyes, she returned to reality. Her face was one of horror as she stared at me for a moment, before snapping around to face the others.

Edward was up on his feet in an instant, startling Bella so badly that her plate went shattering to the floor, the poor pizza Esme had worked so hard on falling face-first into the white carpet.

He was furious, eyes flickering from Alice for confirmation to me, the expression unreadable.

"There isn't much time to explain. But- well- it's the wolves," he said, his words filling the room with the icy air of fear as the others reeled back in shock and anticipation. Growls pierced the air.

"They're coming, I'm not sure why, but I can put two and two together," Alice said hesitantly, her voice shaky before her eyes shifted to me. I leaned back into my seat, the attention making me uneasy and even more confused.

_God, what now?_

"They're coming for her," was the last thing she said before a Rosalie sent a vase flying passed my head, shattering against the brick wall of the fireplace. I resisted rolling my eyes at her theatrics.

The room was alight with their panic and frustration, Carlisle trying but failing to take control of the situation. Edward never ceased in his pacing, no matter how much he argued with Michael and Alice over what to do. The room was so noisy, and full of energy, that I eventually snapped. Pulling myself together, despite the confusion, I announced over the room in the voice I reserved for only the worst of interrogations.

It tended to demand all attention. All eyes looked to me.

"What the hell do you mean _wolves_ are after me? Don't you guys eat them?"

I had never been so grateful for the voice that answered me, the arrival of his presence having gone unnoticed thanks to the chaos the room had erupted into.

A warm blanket of calm and peace enveloped the room, each panicked vampire settling back into their seats. Relaxed and silent.

I never took my eyes off the figure that walked towards me, stopping to stand beside me, a look so intense in his eye I didn't have time to think of what it possibly could have meant.

"They won't make it a foot near you, not if I can help it."

I still didn't know if he was my greatest enemy or misguided ally, but at that moment, I didn't care.

I knew that whatever threat was upon us, Jasper would handle it.

Even when the air between us was far from clear, his family was the number one priority for him. He'd do anything to keep them safe.

Nothing stood in his way.

I was snapped out of the staredown with the anomaly that was Jasper by Alice's worried words.

"They're here..."


	9. Bite First, Bark Later

After meeting the Cullens, I had truly thought that nothing could surprise me anymore.

Well, I was _once again_ proven wrong.

 _Very_ wrong.

"What the hell do you mean the _wolves_ are coming? And that they're already here?" I asked bewildered, growing more irritated by the second as they continued to ignore my questions.

Wolves, as in.. the animal species?

Didn't they eat them?

But I knew that there was something bigger in the picture than just simple wild dogs- they said the wolves were after _me_. It simply wasn't logical to assume it to be referring to just animals.

Perhaps it was a codeword for other vampires? Another clan in the area?

But what could they possibly want with me?

My mind was flooded with an onslaught of thoughts, and I was barely able to keep myself afloat. If I had to endure another moment longer without an answer I feared I may drown.

Finally, Edward, having sensed my worries and no doubt overwhelming thoughts, turned to me then. His shoulders were tense, and I involuntarily shuddered as it dawned on me that I should probably feel that way, too.

"There isn't much time to explain," he said hurriedly, rushing over to the couch in a blink of an eye, picking up the forgotten food Bella had spilled and set it aside on the coffee table, before gently helping her to stand. He kept the fragile human girl nestled tightly by his side.

He steeled his worried gaze on me then, his jaw flexing tightly, "but there are more... _beings_ in this world other than vampires. There is a pack of them here, and clearly, they have noticed your presence."

I tried to put the puzzle pieces of his words together in my mind, the emphasis on _beings_ was a heavy indicator. And like a light, it clicked in my head suddenly.

"You mean..." I said slowly, not daring to vocalize the remainder of that thought. It felt silly to even consider, too ironic and outlandish. But at Edward's grim nod to confirm my unspoken words, I could only stare at him wide-eyed.

No, it couldn't be.

"Seriously? You mean to tell me that _werewolves_ exist and of all places, they live here too?" I said, barely able to control my pitch, not caring how panicked I sounded.

Had it been any other occasion, I knew my reaction would have earned a laugh from Emmett and Michael, their expressions amused. But the humor didn't quite reach their eyes, steeled and guarded with the arrival of the strange group of creatures.

It was apparent that the relationship between the Cullens and the mysterious group of approaching creatures was anything but friendly.

It frightened them, which meant it should most certainly frighten me.

And with each second that passed, it did.

Incredibly so.

There were very few things that had ruffled my feathers in this life, not once since I had emerged from that wretched warehouse my creator had left my burning body in, the one I emerged from victoriously had I felt such terror.

I had been so meticulous, so very focused on keeping my emotions on a tight leash since that day. With the burning desire to survive Riley's intense training and over a dozen newborns in my care, there was little room for error or outbursts. Fear made you weak, an easy target.

Hell would have frozen over before I would have ever allowed myself to spare even the slightest trickle of the emotion cloud my mind, it's icy tendrils taking hold of the mind. Freezing one in place.

I had seen many newborns fall to it's incapacitating embrace, in reaction to my presence or Riley's. But _never_ did I fall victim to it. I had found their horrified expressions amusing, reveling in their wide eyes.

But now, I truly felt it for myself. This wasn't a trick of Jasper's, this came completely from my own mind. It took over my whole body, crippling, and I was sure I couldn't move even if I wanted to.

My mind was void of anything other than the panic-driven train of blurry thoughts and images, flashes of bits and pieces of distant thoughts. What little I knew of werewolves, images of sharp canine teeth, dripped in blood and savage, beady eyes filled my mind. Images from some horror film, pop culture fables that fueled the frightening tales and stories that would keep one up at night.

I sat there for what felt like forever, yet not nearly long enough before I was snapped out my frozen state by the sudden tight grip of a petite hand around my wrist. My ears had fallen deaf to the rushed voice of the person, a light female voice telling me to move.

I could barely register that it was Alice. Her large, golden eyes wide as she looked at me, a worried expression marring her beautiful face.

_Move, come on! They're here, they're here._

Suddenly I was hit with a jolt of such a strong surge of electrifying energy I was sure it would have sent me to my knees had I been standing already, the sudden overwhelming feeling of confidence overtaking me, replacing the ice in my veins with an addictive warmth.

I let out a choked sigh as my mind tried to push through the fearful thoughts, now slowly being chipped away by the onslaught of the foreign warmth. Confidence, a pure surge that pulsed through me as I forced myself to my feet.

I visibly shook at the sudden swap in my mind, like a switch going from off to on, and I clenched my jaw in anticipation. Alice released her tight grip on my wrist, and with half a moment's glance she fled out the glass sliding door to the back lawn. One by one, the others followed her at a fast speed, Edward choosing to walk slowly with Bella, his firm grip on her shoulders never ceasing as he eased her out of the house and down the porch steps.

It was now just me, and the male presence that hadn't moved from behind me. Watching, waiting for me to move.

But I couldn't.

The loud voice at the forefront of my mind told me to go, to put one foot in front of the other. To react with equal urgency as the others. But the artificial fog that influenced such thoughts couldn't cloud over the coldness that truly took hold there, cowering in the smallest of alcoves of my mind. Small, but enough to make me hesitate.

Jasper sensed it, and after another moment of waiting for me to follow the others, he released a huff of irritation at my lack of response. He walked past me, making his way towards the door.

I noted how that even in an urgent situation his posture was straight, his demeanor an eery calm that alone struck a sense of unease within me. A trait that proved him very valuable in worlds such as the one I had been bred for.

He spared only a small glance back at me, expectantly, never faltering in his step. "Are you going to just stand there or do you want the wolves to come to you?"

His voice held nothing within it for me to pick apart. None of the aggression, distaste it had the day before. Neutral, unbothered.

Like he couldn't care less.

But I knew that was a lie, I wouldn't forget the expression he had worn when he had stormed into the room not thirty minutes before, the deep tone to his voice as he reassured me that I wasn't alone.

This man was an enigma. And it was driving me absolutely insane.

It took all of my willpower not to grab the nearest object and chuck it at his head. But I refrained, remembering the situation at hand.

There were much bigger fish to fry.

I was right on Jasper's heels as he exited the house, down the porch steps and onto the lawn. I slowed a pace behind him as he reached the rest of his coven, their members forming a half-circle similar to that of the one they had first greeted me with not too long ago. Only this time, they weren't half as uneasy or poised defensively. If anything, I would have assumed they felt relaxed if I hadn't known any better.

Most shockingly, Bella had weaseled her way out of Edward's grasp, moving a step in front of him, watching the treeline in anticipation. It was the most puzzling, as I studied her behavior as well as those around her, myself standing just three feet behind the center of the loosely-shaped curve. Right at the gap between Edward and Jasper.

I shifted on my feet, the creeping sensation along my spine, the feeling of slight nervousness making me jittery as I watched the treeline. Waiting, listening for the slightest indication of the presence of these supposed werewolves.

I didn't know what to expect, would they be human? From what I could barely recall, it seemed that the legend went that they only took the form of a wolf at the full moon. Did that apply here as well? Or did they take the form of a beast at all times?

My frantic state must have irritated Jasper once again, as I was suddenly hit with a strong emotional cocktail of confidence and calm. He didn't even turn around, and I was glad.

It irked me that he must have assumed I needed to always be coddled and influenced.

It bothered me to no end that in just a short time in his presence I was slowly descending into the state of a true newborn. Weak, skittish, and unable to control myself. I had never fallen to such emotions and traits, not in my natural habitat I had been bred into. But here, it was different. I was the small fry here, the weak link that Jasper just couldn't resist tearing apart.

However, before I could continue my internal rant of distaste for the blond bastard, there was a crack of fallen tree limbs in the distance. And then another one, followed by the drum of multiple heartbeats. All eyes and ears snapped in the direction of the sounds, listening closely. From the echos, it seemed they were only mere yards away.

I was so overwhelmed I had a hard time trying to tally up the number of heartbeats, but by the sound of it, there had to be at least five. Five werewolves.

 _If this broke out in a fight, would I be able to survive it?_ I thought.

Before I could move to the next thought, to build a strategy if it came down to fighting for my life, the first creature burst through the treeline, halting any and all thoughts.

I was frozen in place as I assessed the creature, and then the three others as they showed themselves at last.

The beasts' sizes alone sent my instincts flaring to life, the reality of their forms blowing any and all of my expectations out of the water.

There were no fangs, not a single talon-like claw in sight. Yet it was just as equally horrifying that instead of the famously fabled creatures of the night were simply wolves.

Giant wolves.

 _They could probably snap me in half in one bite._ I thought, taking in their muscular forms, the sheer power and strength these beings possessed had to be equal to that of vampires, if not stronger.

I fought the urge to flinch as their dark eyes slide to me, one by one, all locking in on their target. The reason for such a visit. Me.

It didn't go unnoticed that the others around me had moved their positions as well, Edward tightening his grip on Bella, who only wiggled her arm in protest. As if she wasn't frightened at all by their presence, the most bizarre thing of all.

Jasper only straightened his posture, if that were even possible. A wall of stone, unyielding.

I swallowed the venom that pooled in my mouth, the constant flow of confident emotions gripping me strongly even still, and I met the gaze of the large creatures ahead.

I had been so startled by their arrival that I had failed to notice the fifth individual, which was much to my surprise, a human man.

He slowly moved forward, never once breaking our eye contact, stopping to stand between the four wolves, the creatures dwarfing him in size as they flanked him protectively.

I gathered that he must have been their leader, steadying my gaze as he sized me up and down. Studying me, as if assessing how big of a threat I could be.

We stood there a moment longer, the only sound the strong heartbeats of the wolves and man, a faint and slower beat belonging to Bella until finally, Carlisle spoke.

Breaking the bronzed man's focused gaze from me, he turned to look at Carlisle then. Giving the vampire the same tense stare he had given me.

"It is good to see you, Sam, however, I am surprised at such a sudden meeting. Might I ask what the meaning of this visit is?"

He never failed to impress me with the ease at which he spoke, always so calm. I didn't dare move my gaze from this newcomer and his wolves, this _Sam_ character. Carlisle's question rang in my mind.

_Me. They are here for me._

Was this Sam a werewolf too?

From the looks of his muscular build and the impossible rate at which his heartbeat in tune with the giant wolves, something that no human heart could manage, it was a good guess to assume so.

Sam only offered Carlisle a short, stiff nod in acknowledgment before turning his gaze back to me. I met it with my own equally firm expression.

His voice was deep and strong, a sense of commanding authority there within the rasp and ruggedness of it.

"Of course, Dr. Cullen. Know that we would not make such a bold move as to approach your coven if there wasn't an urgent matter at hand," he said, his voice tensing at the end as he narrowed his eyes at me. The urgent matter. My arrival.

The wolf closest to Sam on his right, the brown and sandy colored one, bared its teeth at me. The others seemed to share the wolf's hostile thoughts, each shifting on their feet almost in anticipation as they eyed me. As if waiting for the cue from their leader to charge. Rip me to shreds, I was sure it would take no time for them to do their work.

I did everything I could to hold my ground, steady. I hadn't dared to breathe, knowing good and well that the scent of two humans present would weaken my resolve.

"As you know, we run frequent patrols around the perimeters of our land, to ensure the safety of our people from your kind. Trespassing, as you know, violates the treaty our people agreed upon with your coven many years ago. Your coven has done well to keep that promise with few problems-" he glanced pointedly at Edward and then Bella, a look that I was sure to take note of, before continuing, "yet, tonight, as two members of our pack ran the perimeters of the southeastern edge, they came across a scent.

The scent was faint, old from a few days of exposure to the wind, but still, undeniably there, a vampire had crossed into our territory. It was a scent we had never encountered, not from a member of your coven. How it could have gone undetected until now, is still a mystery, but nevertheless, it was present. We were able to track the scent of the vampire to a cave under the mountain, where the scent was strongest. The trail led us here."

I wanted to hit myself upside the head, so very hard at that moment.

I had been so clumsy, stopping for the night on the outskirts of Forks before I had decided to see the Cullens. I could have so easily been caught by these creatures, the wolves. What would have happened had they found me?

I would have been dead, very dead.

The Cullens shared glances amongst themselves, piecing together the information, and I realized an unspoken decision was being made.

Would they try to speak in defense of me? Or feed me to the dogs, quite literally?

At the shared nod between Edward and Carlisle, a decision had been made, and the coven leader gave Sam a small, charismatic smile.

"I believe I understand what has happened. I must apologize profusely, Sam, but I believe there has been a mistake. As you have noticed, we have a guest visiting with us. Clearly, it seems that the rules and outline of our treaty were not explained thoroughly enough to our visitor."

I lowered my head slightly in a show of embarrassment and shame, though the emotions didn't reach me. I would play my ass off along with their story if it would save my head from being bitten off by the giant creatures. I was just thankful Carlisle didn't throw me under the bus.

So, they were going to keep my true origins and reason for coming here in the first place a secret then.

Sam looked from Carlisle to me, as if searching for a lie or deception to be written across our faces.

I met his gaze with a look of feigned apology, doing my best to let go of my instinct to stiffen my posture, instead, I made sure to stand relaxed and like that of a shy young girl.

I didn't need to be seen as more of a threat than I already was.

Sam spoke once again, and his words made the

"While I'm sure you meant no harm in inviting a guest into your home, Carlisle, the violation of our treaty cannot be ignored. No matter how little damage was done. With the return of your coven to these lands, there has been an increase in supernatural occurrences that have put our people at risk. Nomads coming in, killing as they please with no fear of being caught. And not to mention, the added attention the relationship your son has taken up with a human girl has brought to your family...

Do you see where I'm going with this? The decisions and actions of your coven these past few years have brought not only potential but real harm to the people we were created to protect. There must be consequences, Carlisle. We've let the events of the past slide, but we must put our foot down at some point. _I_ must hold someone accountable. If this treaty is to continue to last, something has to be done."

Edward's head dropped in slight shame, Bella's cheeks turning a bright scarlet at being pointed out. As if being scolded by a disappointed parental figure.

Carlisle sighed, a small frown placed on his lips. He looked at Sam apologetically, though Sam's expression showed nothing of forgiveness. Only disappointment.

"It was fortunate that none of our people were harmed when your guest trespassed onto our lands. It was sheer luck that she took a path that was out of the way of our village, what if she had come upon a lone hunter? What would have happened? She isn't a Cullen, not a member who has sworn to the treaty between our people and your coven. Your coven is the only one of your kind we have encountered that has such a peculiar diet. There's no guarantee she wouldn't have killed our people if given the chance, what of her own diet?"

All eyes turned to me then, studying my face. Looking for a shade of red in my eyes that would give me away.

Had I not been in close quarters with Bella that afternoon, the ruby red color of my eyes would have indeed given me away. But they were pitch black, the sudden switch to animal blood the day before, and then the close proximity of a human had shocked my system. Not to mention I had never gone so long without feeding, I would normally feed every chance I got. Every eight to twelve hours. It had been more than that by now.

I thanked whatever forces in the universe that saved me this once, that my eyes did not betray me.

"I understand your pack's apprehensions, Sam, this is indeed a terrible situation. But I must reassure you, that our guest is well aware of all that we believe and practice."

"While that might be, it does not quell our concerns," Sam said, turning then to me to speak directly for the first time.

"What is your name, girl?" he asked sternly, and it took everything in me not to glare at him.

I evened my gaze, straightening my posture as I responded.

"Persephone," I said, working hard to keep my tone even and hidden of any ill emotion. I still had much practice to do on mastering the art of civility. I swallowed hard, before continuing, "I apologize for my trespassing onto your lands, I had not realized that it was wrong to do so.

If anything, it is not the fault of this coven that I made such a mistake. I hope my actions do not reflect poorly on them, and their agreement to your treaty."

I said, making sure to leave out any and all indications that I hadn't even known the Cullens beforehand, or that I was, up until hours after my arrival, a treat to all.

I wondered what would happen if these wolves ever discovered my true purpose here, or the deception taking place at this moment.

Sam simply stared at me for a moment longer, as if battling an inner monologue, and for a brief moment I wondered in horror if these wolves had special "gifts" like the Cullens.

That would be just freaking fantastic.

Suddenly, the brown and creme colored wolf, who had been shifting on its feet back and forth since their arrival, darted back into the forest behind them. The other wolves stayed put, including Sam, who only offered a disapproving look over his shoulder before looking back to us. There was a long pause as if the beast would return, before a strange sound echoed through the treeline.

Every single one of the vampires present bristled at the movement, each moving to a more defensive position. Jasper's back went completely rigid, his hands clasped tightly into fists by his side. I didn't miss the small sidestep he took to move slightly in front of me, as if to block an oncoming attack.

This clearly wasn't supposed to happen, if the Cullens reactions were anything to go by. Had I angered the wolf?

Bella was squirming in Edward's grasp now, trying to balance on her tippy toes as if it would allow her to see into the forest better. I wondered what her fascination with this wolf was, it hadn't gone unnoticed how her attention had been on it for most of this encounter, as the beast's own gaze had darted to her ever so often.

Perhaps she knew the wolf-person? _What was the proper term for a person who was a werewolf half the time?_

I furrowed my brows in confusion at the sound that came from the forest, a cough and sigh echoed, followed by the shuffling of what sounded like clothes. My confusion was only momentarily, because not a minute later a man burst through the tall underbrush of the forest.

Or should I say a boy, upon further inspection. He was simply giant in stature, even in comparison to Sam who was shorter by at least three inches. While his body, which was free of a shirt of any kind just like Sam, resembled that of a bodybuilder, his face kept the boyish charm that came with any stereotypical teen soap star you found plastered all over the gossip magazines. His face was handsome, I could tell, even though at this moment it was marred by a horrible scowl.

Directed right at me.

He marched right up alongside Sam- moving to pass him and charge right up to me- before the leader grabbed him by the arm tightly before he could take another step. He looked back at the leader in distaste, baring his teeth like an animal would- like a wolf would- before turning back at me in pure disgust.

He turned his gaze to Edward then, the growl dying in his throat as he studied the pale vampire in a look that was nothing but pure hatred. Whatever the past between the two, this werewolf must have had horrible experiences with Edward in the past. He spared a look to Bella, who had been eagerly trying to get his attention, and suddenly the evil look vanished, replaced with a soft expression.

Oh. - _Ohh._

Suddenly, I was caught up. It truly was like watching a cheesy soap show.

Edward spoke then, his soft and musical voice so starkly different from the haughty look he wore as he stared at the wolf boy. No doubt having read what was on the boy's mind, and it must not have been good.

"Jacob, I promise you, you're jumping to conclusions. This is simply a misunderstanding. Don't pick a fight when there isn't one, to begin with," he said, glancing to his side with a soft expression as he looked at Bella, "Please, for Bella's sake. Don't do this."

Bella was lost in Edward's gaze like he had brought the moon and stars to life for her, and I recognized the look instantly. She was completely dazzled by him. But I knew the look to be more than just a facade. He didn't do it intentionally. It was just her reaction to him. I wanted to vomit.

And so did Jacob, his look of rage now that one of disgust, turning his nose up as if he had smelled something foul. He looked between the two as if battling with himself in his mind, before finally huffing and shaking Sam's grip from his arm.

He stalked back to his place that flanked the leader, arms crossed as he pouted like a scorned child.

No one said anything after that, as if my words had been forgotten in the wake of this Jacob kid's outburst, but slowly, the mood settled when all had decided that Jacob wasn't going to have an outburst again.

Sam looked to me, tilting his head to the side. I could already see the list of questions he wanted to ask me, to interrogate me with. To find out who this stranger trespassing their lands was.

"How long have you been on this... as your kind say.. _vegetarian_ diet?" He inquired, and I internally grimaced.

Great, first question out of the gate, and I was already screwed.

"Well, I-" I began, preparing myself to give the biggest performance of _pulling complete bullshit out of my ass,_ but I was immediately interrupted by the deep and serious voice of Jasper.

I was shocked, yet relieved at the same time, hoping that perhaps his word would be received better than my own. They had to have at least known him a little bit. If they didn't like what he had to say, at least they would be more hesitant to attack a true member of the Cullen clan than an outsider.

He crossed his arms as he spoke, his demeanor shifting almost instantly as he gave the wolves my backstory, and I would have given anything in the world to have seen the expression he wore on his face. I was impressed by just how effortlessly- and convincingly- he spun such a tale.

"Persephone is a younger vampire, who until just recently had been living with a group of nomads on the eastern coast. The three of them lived the standard life of the nomadic individuals of our kind, feeding on humans- only, they took great care in only feeding on the evil-doers of human society.

Her creator and his partner are very close friends with our coven, our relations going back centuries, and upon hearing of our enlightened ways, Persephone decided that she, too, wished to try our lifestyle for herself. We accepted her request to visit, at the insistence of her coven, where since her arrival she has taken to our diet."

Not a single sound save for the heartbeats of the mortals present could be heard, it was dead silent as all listened to Jasper's words. I didn't dare look at the wolves, not wanting to know if they were believing this so far, but I couldn't do anything more than to keep a look of awe from my face at the words I was hearing. Why was he defending me with such a story?

He could have just let me struggle, dig myself a hole with trying to explain myself to these creatures. But he didn't. Instead, he vouched for me, creating a false story of my relation to Peter and Charlotte to save my ass.

Regardless of how irritated and completely infuriated I had been with him over the last day, I knew I couldn't let this go unrecognized. At least he didn't totally hate my guts. At least, I think.

Finally, I found the courage to look at the wolves, to Sam and Jacob, who shared glances between themselves, and Jasper and I. Sam's expression was completely unreadable, and I wished I had Jasper's ability to see just what exactly he was feeling.

It was pretty clear that no matter what was said or done here, Jacob would feel nothing but distaste and utter hatred. But I knew that for the most part those feelings were directed towards Edward, whatever the history was there.

"So you see, Sam," Carlisle began, a gentle smile returning to his face, his tone light and hopeful, "I assure you, things are well taken care of here. We only wish to enlighten those who seek a better path, how could we turn someone away with such intentions?"

Esme, heavens bless her, really played up the act along with her husband, giving the warmest smile and nod at his words, leaning her head on his chest lovingly.

Sam hesitated but eventually nodded curtly after mulling over the information presented to him. A wave of relief washed over the Cullens, but before anyone could relax Sam had one last thing to say.

"I will allow this arrangement to remain under one condition," he said eyes darting to each of the Cullens almost as if in warning, before landing on me, speaking directly to me, "you _must_ swear to abide by the treaty, as long as you stay here with the Cullens. Not a single slip up in diet, the trespassing of our lands, or the endangerment of humans will be tolerated whatsoever.

If you break any of the following agreements, we will not hesitate in putting an end to such threats. For good."

We didn't break eye contact for the single moment it took for me to make my decision. So much laid on the line. Was I doomed to fail? Probably, but that was the risk I had to take.

If I was going to put an end to Riley, for good, I was going to have to play by the rules.

"I swear, I will abide by the treaty."

It was settled, then. I had signed away my fate. My life in the hands of the mutts before me.

I only hoped that I was as strong as I believed myself to be. I had to do this.

I had nothing else in this life but to see this through.

Less than thirty minutes later, after the wolves had departed from the property and the Cullens had slowly eased back into their home where a calm and familial aura flowed throughout the large mansion, it was as if the event hadn't even happened.

No one spoke of the event, not even after Edward had made a mad dash for his car, eager to get Bella off the property and away in case any other chaos was to ensue. Or more specifically, me. I knew he saw me as a ticking time bomb, especially now that my own tensions were high with this new threat looming over my head. It only added to the pressure of changing my diet.

It was also as if what had happened didn't exist to Jasper, who hadn't even spared me a single glance once the wolves had left. He had marched straight up to his study in silence, ignoring the looks and questions from his family. As if he hadn't been the key defender of my case, swaying the jury to vote in my favor.

I had a hard time putting those thoughts to rest, settling into a chair by the crackling fire in the den, a book in my hand as I tried to bury myself deep into a fantasy world far from here.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed before I was stirred from my book by the light bouncing down the stairs as Alice all but danced her way into the living room, Michael right behind her. I looked around, just now noticing that the sun had long since set, the night pitch black outside the glass walls. A few hours must have passed by.

The pair gave me small, kind smiles in greeting before ducking into the dining room, where Esme sat at the table with Rosalie browsing through a furniture catalog, planning their next big renovations to the already perfectly decorated home.

Alice was planning to go hunting since the other half of the family had gone a few days ago, it was now the other half of the family's turn to go. It was apparently going to be the perfect weather to find great meals, she told Esme, who agreed to go with them.

As they swept through the house, gathering up all members that were going after changing into their "athletic" clothes, they waited at the door. Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, and Carlisle were staying behind as they had already hunted.

I couldn't fathom how they could possibly go so long without hunting, their eyes still golden. I would have jumped at every opportunity to feast.

Slowly descending the stairs came Jasper, changed into an outfit similar to the one he had worn the day before when he had accompanied me on my hunting trip. I did my best to keep my eyes on the book in my lap, but it was simply too irresistible to not glance at the man at the base of the stairs.

He didn't even look in my direction, his eyes trained on the door a few feet in front of him, and at Alice's call that they were all set, he led the way out the door. Alice trailed out last, giving me a small grin and a wave.

"Don't worry, Seph, we'll be back before sunrise!"

I couldn't help but give her a small smile and wave goodbye as she gently closed the door behind her.

It had to have been at least another fifteen minutes that I had sat there after they had left, just staring blankly at the tendrils of fire crackling in the stone fireplace. My book was long forgotten, not with the image of that tall, muscular blond burned into the forefront of my mind.

I was knocked out of my daze by the sound of someone plopping gracefully onto the sofa across from me, and it took quite the effort to lift my gaze from the ember flames.

Edward gave me a small, barely a whisper of a smile, which I met with my own. We sat there in silence for a little while, both finding comfort in the slow, sad song of the burning firewood. Edward was the first to speak, his voice barely that over a whisper, as there was no need to be any louder with our hearing.

"I think someone owes you a bit of an explanation for the events of today," he said slowly, glancing over to me, and I raised a brow. Showing that I was listening.

"There are old legends, from the Quileute tribe, about the great ancestral spirit warriors, who could take the form of the mighty wolf, protecting their people from the evils of this world," he said, a bemused look in his eye, "they called these evil beings the pale ones, vampires.

These tales, come to find out, were true. Over a century ago, Carlisle and those of us were in the coven at that point, came to this land to live as we do now, amongst the humans. This caused a lot of trouble with the tribe, as our kind triggers the reemergence of the wolves, or shape-shifters as we call them.

We struck a deal with the wolves, as we had proved to them that our intentions were not to harm humans, and they agreed to let us stay, so long as we obeyed the terms of our agreement for us. We couldn't kill, bite, or cause any harm to a human. Nor could we cross into their territory, which, as you witnessed today, you seemed to have done already."

I gave him a semi-apologetic look, to which he gave a small chuckle before continuing.

"The treaty has remained unbroken to this day, not counting your accidental slip-up. It's what allows us to live the way we do, the way we wish to, undisturbed."

I took in the information, grateful that he had shared it. He nodded a "you're welcome" at the silent thanks I sent his way.

"What about... I couldn't help but notice the way the young boy acted, especially with you in particular," I said hesitantly, giving him a look, to which he shook his head, a light laugh escaping him. He wrung his hands together. I gave a small, teasing smile, " what's that drama all about?"

"There was a time in Bella and I's relationship where... we had parted ways for quite some time. A huge mistake it was, I must add, but nevertheless, it happened. During that time, Bella had created a friendship with Jacob and his friends, who would later come to join their pack.

Upon Bella and I rekindling our relationship, things between the two had turned sour. Admittedly, it mostly was my fault, but honestly, I don't regret how things happened. We aren't very fond of one another, to say the least, though Bella insists on trying to scheme ways of trying to make her friendship with Jacob and our relationship work."

I sat on the information for a moment, taking it in, knowing it meant a lot that Edward had opened up and said so much. I knew I needed to reciprocate.

"That must have been incredibly difficult for you, and for her," I said slowly, trying to find the right words to say, the most sincere ones. I wanted to be real with him as he had been with me. Something I had never done before in my life.

But I guess now was always the time for trying new things, right?

"I'll be honest, Edward, I know literally nothing about relationships, let alone friendships, but I can imagine it's hard finding a happy medium for both, if the person means enough to you," I said, nodding to myself in slight encouragement that I had said the right thing, what I had meant.

Edward's smile grew a bit bigger at the obvious effort, seemingly glad to hear it. Was this progress, perhaps?

"Thank you," he said, before taking a moment to gather his next words, as if sorting through his thoughts for the right thing to say.

"You know, I know you're overwhelmed right now, with all that has occurred these last few days. And I know I have not made any of it the least bit easier for you... but don't give up just yet. While confusing, I promise the air will clear soon enough," he said pointedly, his words loaded with hidden meaning at his last words, and it took me a moment to catch on.

Oh, he meant Jasper.

I sat back a bit at that, suddenly thankful I couldn't blush like a human or that he could feel the embarrassment radiating off of me. Of course, he knew practically everything that had happened with Jasper, he could read both of our minds, after all. Just how much could he know?

Apparently, more than I did at this point.

I didn't know what was worse, the fact that said something about it, or the fact that he knew everything I knew plus whatever it was that Alice saw.

Could she have seen something happen soon?

I shook my head at the ridiculous thoughts, the fact that I had so easily fallen down the rabbit hole yet again making me frustrated. I gave Edward a look, a bit irritated by the smug expression he wore, knowing good and well how easily he had set me off.

"I don't know what you're speaking of," I said, the lie so obvious that I wasn't even sure why I even bothered telling it, but I continued, my ego and pride too big for me to give in so easily, "but I'm fine. Whatever you think is happening isn't. I could care less about how others think of me. I'm here for one thing only, to put an end to Riley Biers. I'll be out of your hair the moment he's turned to a pile of ashes."

He looked at me as if to say "seriously?", I was fooling no one. I fidgeted in my chair as I turned back to the fire, knowing the longer I looked at him the more my expression would crack and reveal.

"Look, I know there are many, many things you do not know about our kind, or remember the way it feels to be human, but just promise you won't wish it all away without at least trying. You aren't clueless, you have a good head on your shoulders, you notice more than you let on. It may not all make sense to you now, but it will one day.

Just... don't turn away from it right off the bat when you finally figure it out, as I did. You'll regret it for the rest of your long, lonely life."

And with that, he was off. Before I could even turn around or retort to his little musings, I only found an empty sofa where he had sat not a second before. I could hear the door of his second-floor room close softly above me, and I could only simmer there in silence, my own thoughts my only company.

What a cryptic smartass, I thought.

A muffled laugh could be heard through the ceiling at that thought, and I contemplated storming into his room and making him explain what he had meant.

Whatever it was he was teasing about, warning me about, I hadn't a clue.

All I knew was that I didn't need anyone. Not a soul.

I had made it this far alone, why couldn't I make it from here just the same?

As the fire slowly began to dim and the book came to an end, the answer circled the back of my mind, like an eery fog I so desperately wanted to ignore. Just like the dull ache echoing throughout my chest.

I couldn't make it alone, because I no longer wanted to.

It would be impossible.

I had found meaning in this place, in these people.

And I wasn't going anywhere until I got to the bottom of what exactly it was about Jasper that made me want to both punch him in the face and, more strongly, jump his bones.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

The days had gone by achingly slow, the hours going by at a snail's pace. It drove him absolutely mad, obsessively counting the minutes that she had been gone. Waiting for her to finally, _finally_ burst through the doors of the old, rundown building.

But alas, the hour of victory never arrived. Much to his distaste.

He could no longer deny it, not after the chime of the old bell tower on the other side of the district filled the air, calling the final hour of that third day.

She wasn't back.

She would never come back.

The one possession he prized more than any, even greater so than any of the safes he had stored away in secret, filled with priceless riches from hundreds of victorious hunts put together.

Nothing could replace the value of his highest ranking creation. The hundreds of hours he had put into grooming, shaping the mind of his second were irreplaceable.

He couldn't do the same again, there wasn't enough time.

They were running out of time.

And Diego could never live up to the expectations, the sheer discipline it took to be his right hand.

He would break under the pressure.

_No one could handle the pressure like my precious, cunning pet. So deliciously broken, reformed as the most perfect weapon. Forged from her own pain and fear._

Who would serve him so blindly? So loyally that they would walk into the cold, unforgiving grip of death as she had?

If she couldn't endure the wrath of his enemies and emerge victoriously, who could?

A single, abrupt knock at the crooked door of his office put an end to his silent musings.

He didn't have to move from the window, the door opening not a moment later as the figure stopped just inside the room, waiting to be spoken to.

_At least the damn fool knew how to hold his tongue, lest I rip it out. But oh, how fun would that be?_

"Sit down, I have news," he called over his shoulder, setting down the wine glass full of dark crimson liquid on the window sill beside him. There was little room for luxury in a hellhole like this, but oh did he love the occasional splurge of keeping a pet on tap.

_Only a few more months, then the world would be mine to own. So close, so close to victory!_

His newest right hand sat at the desk in the wobbly metal chair, the groan of the seat at his weight the only noise in the room. Ugh, he couldn't help the look of distaste as he studied his second, Diego.

 _What a disappointment, I wasted a whole warehouse of newborns to keep this one. How did he survive the first purging anyway?_ He thought, still in disbelief that out of all the members of his carefully cultivated army, this was the best that could be done.

He fingered the edge of the wooden desk, the pressure he applied with his pointer finger enough to bring up splinters of wood shooting out at the force, leaving a large dint in its wake.

He plopped in the plush chair, looking at the tan vampire before him. The shag of dark curls and boyish cheeks on him made him look more cuddly than intimidating. How on earth would he ever fulfill his task?

"As the third day closes on Persephone's absence, it is now time to consider the most obvious," he said, his tone sour and full of the pent up hatred he held for the Cullens, the damned vile creatures who crushed the single best chance he had at holding the upper hand in this war.

Diego bowed his head, shoulders slumping at the words, doing a terrible job at hiding his sadness. It was no secret he had looked up to the girl, taking easily to her leadership early in his existence. It must have been his eagerness to please her that had kept him alive.

_She never showed emotion like this fool. How pathetic!_

"But nevertheless, we must persist. Her death was only a miscalculation, if only our resources had been more aligned, she would have been victorious," he said, the grin seemingly splitting his face wide open at the thought, painting her like a hero of Greek myth.

"We must avenge her! Must we? Do you wish for her death to have been in vain, Diego?" he asked, eyeing the boy. Diego stiffened his posture, his look of sadness gone, replaced with that of anger and eagerness.

"No, it won't be," he said, voice hard and full of promise. An oath sworn to the memory of his mentor. Riley didn't bother hiding the mischievous smile that overtook his face. Eyes alight with a new fire.

_This time, we will not fail. I will not fail my beloved. She will get the revenge she has so longed for._

"Good. Now, call up our greatest fighters, those who know the ways of stealth and defense. I have a mission for them," he said, turning back to the window, picking back up the goblet of blood. He took a sip, spitting it out in disgust at the temperature, the blood had already gone cold. He would just have to get it straight from the source.

He threw the goblet out the broken window, the glass shattering on the ground echoing off the walls.

"You have two weeks to prepare."


	10. They're Both Stubborn and It's Complicated

**Jasper POV**

Fleeing into the night, the cool caress of the damp air against my face, I allowed myself to get lost in the sounds of the land around me.

The haunting call of the spotted owl perched high above, the gentle flow of a trickling stream just a few yards ahead, the chorus of katydids singing along the forest floor - the sounds brought me a sense of much-needed peace.

My body was driving on autopilot as I dodged every limb and fallen branch, my mind focused on the beautiful sounds as I followed behind the other members of my coven that joined me on this hunt.

I had fed only hours before, yet I couldn't bring myself to spend another moment in that house.

Not with her so close. Not after what had happened over the last day.

I couldn't think clearly around her, and I needed to sort through my thoughts before I could face her again.

We ran for miles, and I relished in the freedom I felt at being in the open air, far from the confined and stuffy walls of the glass mansion.

As Michael and Alice led the way to a clearing, we slowed, stopping at the center. Esme had quickly started up a conversation with the pair, taking tips from Alice on what to look for so she could get the most out of her meal. The animated conversation barely registered on my ears, my eyes drifting towards the sky above. Noting how the clear, dark expanse of night contrasted against the giant evergreens.

How lonely the moon looked, full and bright at the center of the halo of green, not a single star joined it in shining against the inky black night.

My musings came to an end when the others finally dispersed into the forest beyond, leaving me in solitude once more.

I took off in the opposite direction, towards the foothills of the mountains. Not a single strategy or plan in mind. So unlike myself, a change that had happened only days ago.

But I wasn't here to hunt, not really. In reality, I had spent the last day drinking my fill, trying desperately to smother the flame that roared in my chest, yet to no avail.

The fire wasn't from thirst, I knew, but I drank greedily anyway. Slaughtering whatever creature crossed my path, out of desperation more than anything.

Desperate to find a distraction from the reality at hand.

I couldn't face the truth. What a coward I had become.

Tonight would be no different.

I came to a stop along a ridge of the mountain, taking in the expanse of land below me. It was silent for a while until slowly, a small herd of deer made their way across the land, dark moving lumps of fur washed a faint tint of blue in the moonlight.

I watched them, the way the mothers walked slowly behind the others, a little fawn close to their sides. The males, antlers standing tall and bright even in the darkness, led the way to whatever part of the forest they called home.

A flash of familiar eyes burned in my mind, blinding me to the sight below, an unwelcome reminder of why I stood here in the first place.

The docile creatures wouldn't make it to the other side of the forest. I would kill them all in a futile attempt to extinguish the fire that roared to life in my chest in response to the image in my mind.

Without a moment of hesitation, I took off down the mountain, my steps silent and unheard to the oblivious animals ahead of me. Not a single warning that death was upon them.

It was far too easy to take them out, one by one as they fell to the ground in clusters.

When I brought the first victim close, my mouth crushing the bones in its throat like paper, I didn't taste the blood at all. My focus was worlds away, on the pale face that had begun to form around those piercing red eyes that had plagued my mind.

Taking me back to that first moment, the day that had changed my world completely. Thrown off its axis.

When I had first seen her I didn't really see _her_ , just the jagged, unforgiving scars that littered her skin.

It seemed as if every visible inch of her pale skin was covered in the marks, each so unlike yet similar to my own.

How many had covered her, I had wondered. The sight of such marks had been expected from an impending threat, and their presence sent my instincts into high alert. Finally, a worthy competitor that could rival my skills. I had itched to attack the first chance I got.

That was, at least, until my inspecting gaze landed on her face, taking her in completely for the first time.

The revelation that I had found upon looking into her gaze had left me motionless. Dead to the world around me. Never had I felt such a rush of instincts or emotions so strongly.

It had taken everything in my being not to react.

Even still, to this day, it was a challenge not to respond to the call of my instincts to act when I saw her.

Had it not been for the complete lack of response within her at the connection, I knew I wouldn't have hesitated in acting, to reach out for her. But the sheer confusion and ignorance she had felt were what kept me frozen in my place.

She was cold and unyielding, bred for war, yet there was another side to her- one that was pure, oblivious to her lack of knowledge of our world.

_She hadn't known!_

How cruel yet fair of the fates to have done this, to give me a mate that knew nothing of such a sacred bond and its nature.

Only a monster such as myself could have deserved something so agonizing.

I didn't know how to react.

And at that moment, there hadn't been an alternate course of action for me to have explored the connection further. Looking back, I was glad I hadn't. I knew that I would have responded to my body's call, and it would have no doubt turned the situation hostile.

So, I had pushed down the strong emotional desires the revelation had stirred within me, not daring to think about it for a single second.

She was a threat, and a danger to the coven, I had to remind myself. Though the wariness and suspicion I should have felt at her presence didn't register at all. My body betrayed my mind, the logic not registering.

That was how I had been living, for the past three days. My guard up, so unyielding and unwavering I believed nothing could get in.

What at horrible facade it was, but I couldn't bring myself to tear it down. Not by my own decision.

I knew I would have dropped the act in an instant had she reacted the other way- wanting, yearning and eager.

Every part of her seemed to call to me. The way her hair shined a dozen different colors in the sun like a river of flowing honey, the shape of her plump rosy lips as she would grin in mischief, the way her eyes shined with her unapologetic confidence no matter the situation- each thing drove me mad in the most delicious of ways.

She was perfect, breathtaking in her rage. She felt deeply or not at all, there was no in between. A fire that burned so brightly, all-consuming in her wrath. I longed to know what she would be like in the opposite of emotions, full of passion and of longing as I felt now. I would do everything I could to fan the flames higher, larger, keeping them alive if it meant experiencing those emotions with her.

But that was a preposterous dream that would never come to fruition.

So, I remained guarded. It was selfish, foolish even, I knew, to act as so.

But I guessed old habits died hard.

The deer's carcass fell limp to the ground as I drained it dry, a sickening crunch following the wet thud.

I spared a glance at the creature, at its glassy black eyes. Staring at everything and nothing at all.

No amount of blood would ever be enough for me. Not when the memory of the alternative was still so fresh on my mind - over a decade old, yet still so delicious as if it had been just yesterday I had slipped in my diet.

I went for the nearest doe at the thought, forcing the dark musings back into the recesses of my mind as I brought the limp body to my lips. Allowing the bitterness to coat my tongue, to quell the burning in my throat that had awoken at the evocation.

I didn't bother consuming the blood of the remaining animals around me, well aware of the waste their deaths had been. But I didn't feel the regret at my actions like I normally would. I felt nothing for them.

I only had room for the pain in my chest, the fire that burned as brightly as ever.

After disposing of the corpses and making my way back to the clearing, I waited silently and unmoving to the side as the others finished their own meals, their hunts being much more festive and enjoyable than my own. Completely unfazed and unknowing to the weight that bore down upon my shoulders like lead.

It had been this way as long as I could remember, and it would always be this way. Yet there was a spark of hope that bubbled in my chest.

 _Perhaps not for long_ , it seemed to sing to me, in the space where a heart should have been. _She shares the same burdens._

Indeed, she did.

It didn't take much to guess what could have led to the mass collection of such scars.

We had both been created in chaos, born to destroy.

The fact made my chest and loins tighten in delight.

Finally, there was someone who had at least an inkling of understanding to what lied beneath the scars.

Yet there was a war within me, one that prevented me from crossing the line I had so firmly drawn. The longing to connect, to embrace her on one side and on the other- the coldness I had forced into my bones, guarding against any vulnerability to show.

I had the upper hand in this situation, I knew. And I did my best to steer it in the right direction, all too painfully aware of the fact that this bond would be doomed before it even truly began if I didn't.

The situation was so fragile, so easily broken if a single thing went wrong.

It was why I acted as I did, believing that the distance I had placed between us was for the best. And the results at first had proved me to be right, but as the time I spent in her presence went by, things changed.

That day in the woods, when I had taken her hunting for the first time... I had been too arrogant. Too sure of myself.

While she was very much in the dark about the nature of our kind, she was much more observant than I had initially thought.

She was sharp, and in my arrogance, I had foolishly assumed her status as a newborn prevented her from observing too closely. I had pushed too hard, and she had retaliated.

I hadn't expected it, for her to react. The words that spewed from her lips practically seeped in venom. Without thinking, I snapped.

Of course, I regretted my actions as soon as it happened. The way she had looked at me, eyes wide in her terror as I had leaned over her, the sheer force of emotions I had conjured was monumental.

I hadn't expelled such emotions in over a century, and I had never felt such shame or disgust for myself. I retreated into the forest after, not daring to face my family or her again until the arrival of the shapeshifters.

The time alone had been eye-opening, at least to some degree. I had done a tremendous amount of "soul searching", as Edward had always called his moments of reflection.

And after the events of the evening, the way I had jumped at the first chance to defend her, I knew I could no longer deny myself. To ignore the pull, leaving her in the dark.

It wasn't fair. Not to her, or to me.

It would kill us both if I continued down the path I was currently on.

I had waited years for this moment, the very reason I had joined the Cullens was here and I had tried to ignore it. How stupid of me for even trying, I realized.

There was no ignoring her, she was a force to be reckoned with. The cause of that fire in my chest, consuming me whole.

And as we made our way back to the house, bodies mere streaks of light under the moon as we ran, I came to terms with my fate.

Alice had seen the changes that would come with my decision, too, the look on her face as she passed me matched the swell of hope that grew in her chest.

I would let the fire take me, devour me completely.

I was hers. If she accepted me.

My mind ran wild at the ideas that flood my consciousness, the dam I had built to keep the warmth out had broken, washing away the coldness and hostility I had forced myself into believing. I was overwhelmed at the feelings, and they gave me something I had never felt before- hope.

* * *

**Persephone POV**

It seemed as if in the blink of an eye, an entire week had passed since the incident with the wolves.

Carlisle returned to work, the "children" resumed their weekly routines of attending school, leaving me at the mansion with Esme as my only company.

Not that I minded, not at all. Actually, I had quickly taken interest in her daily routine, helping her with the mundane tasks around the property.

She taught me how to tend to a garden, plucking weeds and watering the colorful flowers. She taught me about each individual plant, interesting facts and how to identify each one by its distinctive smell.

I had decided that the white roses were my favorite to look at, though the climbing vines of jasmine she grew near the garage smelt the best. She had even been so kind as to fill a few vases with the fragrant flowers and placed them throughout the house in rooms I would frequent- the smell made it a bit easier to distract myself from the other strong scents of humans and vampires that lingered around.

When we weren't tending the garden, I was able to relax on the back porch overlooking the forest beyond, sitting on the swing with a book in hand. Esme would bring her laptop and sit in the rocking chair beside me, writing emails and tending to whatever shopping or business needed to be done.

But the long days spent outside with the matriarch passed all too quickly, the rest of the coven returning home and breaking the peaceful trance I would fall into. Bringing me back to reality.

Though it was nice that the Cullens had invested so much time and effort into building a perfect home, I had quickly found the mansion to be suffocating. I didn't know how they did it with the intense trails of dozens of scents filling the space like fumes, not to mention being practically on top of one another.

My siblings and I had stayed in the abandoned factory because we believed it was the only way to keep from burning in the sunlight, not because we enjoyed the company. If I hadn't had the annex all to myself, I was sure that I would have killed them all. It was in our nature to be territorial.

At first, I had been able to handle the restricted space of the mansion easily. My hunger had been well maintained, controlled. But as my body had weaned off the last remainders of human blood, the thirst had quickly taken its place at the forefront of my mind.

I had never felt such fire since my change.

Edward did well to keep his distance after I had nearly attacked him two days after the wolves' visit, the smell of Bella on him had taken me by surprise when he had returned home from school. It was the most delicious thing I had ever smelt, and it seemed even stronger then than all the times I had noticed her scent on him. It was like breathing for the first time.

Though I was embarrassed by the incident, the others had been quick to reassure me. It was going to be hard adapting to the change in my diet, like a drug addict going through withdrawals.

Bella, understandably, hadn't been back since then.

I was a live wire, only the smallest incident away from becoming unhinged.

I couldn't blame them for fearing me, not at all.

I was afraid of myself, too.

But then there was Jasper.

He didn't fear me. Didn't coddle or scold, he simply would give me a knowing look and a bit of space. I knew it had to do with the fact that he, too, had been the weak link.

Out of all the struggles and strange events I had endured over the last week, the change I had noticed in Jasper was by far the most significant.

It was as if a switch had been flipped within him after he had returned after having been gone for so long.

It was subtle at first, so faint that I almost hadn't noticed it until the next morning when he had come by the lounge, extending the offer to take me hunting.

If I hadn't been so eager to feed, I would have refused, still angered and confused by his actions the days before. I had been prepared to give him another piece of my mind the moment he went off again, but as we went about the morning hunting, he hadn't, much to my surprise.

The change in his demeanor perhaps wouldn't have been noticed by his family, but my eye that was so well trained to study an opponent noticed it. He offered little chatter, and I hadn't dared to provide my own, but his expression and body language were different. He was no longer stiff or calculated, now open and unguarded.

There was still an obvious air of tension between us, his advances were weary, uneasy as if he wasn't sure what to do. Like I was some alien creature, and he didn't know how to deal with me.

I hadn't known how to respond, but I didn't question the change. I welcomed it, actually. As if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders that I hadn't realized I had been carrying. I couldn't explain it.

I hadn't forgotten the strange energy and connection I felt to this man, the way I would react to him. It was the opposite of the person I had thought myself to be; I was cold, calculated when he wasn't present, yet around him, my mind turned to putty no matter how hard I tried to keep that from happening.

The change within me had angered me the days before, but as time passed I slowly grew used to it. It was becoming normal, being able to feel a wider range of emotions other than the negatives I had bottled up within me for the last year. All that I had ever known was slowly changing, but I welcomed it. Eager to see how far the changes would push me, maximizing my abilities if possible.

After that day, things changed quickly, an almost routine forming between us.

It had started when he sat in the living room with me one night, bringing his own book to read as I sat near the fireplace with one of the many books of fiction I had borrowed from Carlisle. He sat on the opposite side of the room, nestled in the plush armchair by the stairs. We didn't speak, didn't acknowledge the presence of one another. But the silence was good, peaceful.

The first time must have been his way of testing the waters, as he took to sitting closer and closer each time thereafter. A routine had begun, and eventually, conversation would begin to form. It was awkward at first, terrible efforts at small talk. But eventually, it became natural, easier.

Until before I knew it I had somehow taken to lounging in his study on the green sofa, reading from his personal book collection as he sat at the desk. Light conversation beginning to flow between us without forced effort, slowly yet steady.

As much as I hated to admit it, I enjoyed his company.

He understood me better than the others, even without knowing the full extent of my past- it went completely unsaid as I was most definitely not at the point of trusting him enough to share- he knew how my outlook on the world was much different from that of his family.

He never pushed or probed for information, seemingly having learned his lesson, and would listen whenever I worked up the nerve to speak my mind, which was rare. He seemed to understand that, too.

Though I knew I was far from being friends with him, I accepted that I had begun to look forward to his presence each day. An unlikely ally, the steady rock.

The realization of that fact scared me.

I chalked up the ease I felt around him to be from his gift, and that perhaps he did it intentionally so that I was easier to manage. I was fine with that, honestly, preferring the calm I found around him to the utter chaos my mind fell into when he wasn't there. The thirst driving me crazy.

He was a distraction in the best of ways.

Except, of course, when I really needed to concentrate. As I did now.

A loud crack sounded through the thickets of the forest surrounding us as I fell into the trunk of a tree, uprooted soil flying all around me as I slid.

" _Again."_

I stifled the growl that tried to form in my throat, pushing myself up from the ground, the tree groaning in protest behind me at the movement. Dusting off the brown dirt from my shirt I glared ahead of me at the source of the command, standing tall at the center of the clearing.

A halo of golden hair crowned his pale face, a daring look in his eye. The smirk that inched its way onto his lips made me grow even more irritated, and I charged full speed towards him.

The collision of our bodies sounded like thunder as I made my grab at him, marble against marble, my hands aiming for his throat yet only meeting the wall of his arms as he blocked the attack.

In a millisecond I was pinned down by a single pale hand, which had me growling and thrashing about in my irritation. That smirk of his only grew wider at my childish actions. Knowing full well how easily I became pissed off. But I couldn't help it.

He knew exactly how to push my buttons, and the fact annoyed me to no end.

"Anger makes you stupid," he said, narrowing his golden eyes as I bared my teeth, "stupid gets you killed."

I growled in frustration, knowing he was right. But at that moment, I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. I gave another kick, a spray of loose soil shooting out from where my heel met the ground.

He only laughed in response.

A few days ago, after contemplating the idea for a while, I had finally worked up the nerve to ask him for help. While I was a good fighter, having won countless battles against my siblings, I knew there was much to learn as far as tact and skill went.

I wanted to be ready when the time came. When I would face my creator.

Jasper was the only person I knew would be able to provide the training I saught, much to my dismay. He hadn't bothered to hide the smugness he felt at the request, knowing how I dreaded admitting that he could do something better than me.

I swatted away his hand as he removed it from my throat, pushing myself up from the ground with a huff. I shook off the dirt and grass once again, picking twigs from my hair.

He reached forward tentatively, his movement slowed as I bristled, not knowing what he was doing. He pulled out a leaf from the end of my ponytail, and I relaxed as he moved away. He shook his head in silent laughter at my reaction, tossing the crinkled leaf to the ground.

"You know," he mused, a mocking tone to his voice, "if you didn't act like such a child every time you fell, you'd actually have a decent chance at taking me down."

I glared at him, my irritation flaring once more as I was met with that smug grin of his. I was a dirtied mess while he was spotless, clothes still crisp and clean as if they had just been picked up from the dry cleaners.

He turned away to take in the damage we had done to the land around us, noting the mounds of dirt and fallen trees that had been demolished in our wake.

Well, in my wake anyway. I hadn't been able to land a single hit to him that afternoon. And as my hunger grew, the less I was able to focus. In turn, the playful sparing had quickly turned into a frustrated fit of lashing out. Which of course had sent me flying into things as he easily deflected my thoughtless attacks.

At least he was a good sport about it.

"I think that's enough sparing for today," he said with a sigh, nodding to the boulder to our right that had been smashed to bits, "If we keep this up, you're going to ruin half of the national park with your stupidity alone."

I gave him a warning look, to which he only grinned wider, the humor reaching his golden eyes once more. He shrugged, "What? I'm just stating facts here."

With a roll of my eyes, I slowly made my way south in the direction of the mansion, my shoulders slumped.

Jasper chuckled deeply behind me before following my lead, catching up easily with just a few strides.

We walked at a human pace for a while in silence as I brooded until I eventually cooled down thanks to Jasper's gift.

I focused on taking in the forest around me, the sounds of wildlife and the smells of the earth thrilling my senses each time I entered the forest.

The sun had just barely begun to set as we walked, the world around us shifting into life with the awakening of the nocturnal creatures.

A few miles from the house I noticed the feeling of being watched, and I turned to meet Jasper's inspecting gaze. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, his expression unreadable.

I raised a brow in question.

"Is there anything you need to do before heading back inside?" he asked finally, his voice soft, and I recognized then that the expression he wore was one of worry, "I know it gets rough staying around with all the scents, especially when it has been three days since you last fed-"

I cut him off there, raising a hand in silent pleading for him to stop his rambling. The air around us turned heavy, my emotions teetering on a barely controlled line.

"I'm fine, Jasper. Really, I can handle another night without feeding. I need to learn how to deal with the thirst if I'm going to succeed with this diet," I reminded him, doing my best to hide the irritation at his worrying. Honestly, it was like they were all mother hens fretting over their young, checking in every hour to make sure I hadn't slipped off into the night to slaughter the next-door neighbor.

Dealing with the thirst was hard on my own, let alone with the coddling of an entire coven.

My urge to take out my irritation on him was fleeting though, as I caught myself mid-thought before opening my mouth to make another snide comment. If there was anyone I could tolerate doubting my strength, it was him. At least he didn't pity me like the others, I had to remind myself. He was simply stating the facts.

It would have been so easy to take up his offer, and every part of my being begged for the chance to feed, to dull the ache in my throat. But I wouldn't give in, not just yet. I had to learn how to deal with it, and it wouldn't get any easier if I gave in each time someone offered to take me hunting.

He nodded in understanding at my refusal, "Okay, but tomorrow you need to hunt. I won't be taking no for an answer, even if I have to drag you out here by the leg."

I nodded in agreement to his faux threat, a small chuckle escaping me at the image that popped into my mind. The air turned light and cool once again.

As we grew closer to the mansion, where the rest of the Cullens bustled about, I slowed my pace almost to a stop. Jasper halted, looking back at me in confusion at the sudden change.

I didn't meet his gaze, looking instead to the sky above. A silent request for a moment longer, a little more time of peace before facing the chaos that waited just beyond the treeline.

I soaked up the moment, committing to memory the delicate shades of peach and blue that mingled in the sky, dotted with clusters of white clouds as the sun drifted slowly downward to meet the horizon.

I felt more so than heard Jasper's presence as he neared, who dared to come so close as to just barely brush his shoulder against mine. A tingling sensation sparked along the limb from the touch, a feeling I was slowly getting used to each time his body came into contact with mine.

I savored it, secretly begging the fates to bring him closer once again. For once, my face and posture did not betray me, eyes never wavering from the pastel sky above. It was torture trying to fight the urge to glance in his direction, my mind eager to see the look on his face. That maybe, just maybe, he felt it too.

But I couldn't risk it, afraid of what I might find. I knew better than to hope for the impossible.

I wasn't afraid of yearning, to crave his touch. I just didn't want to get my hopes up for something that wouldn't happen. Something that couldn't.

Was it lust I felt? I wasn't sure, my experience with socializing was limited to practically nothing, and I couldn't pinpoint the emotions I felt with just one word. It would be too simple, too easy to write it off as just that.

I knew if it were that simple, I could find the nearest human and fuck them till kingdom come. But it wasn't that. It was more, something unknown to me.

And I hated myself for it, for wanting this man in such a way I couldn't comprehend _._

The feeling followed me everywhere I went when he was present, even if it was just in the very back of my mind. Always lurking beneath the surface. From the most innocent interactions of sitting in the same room as we read to the more intimate time of trusting him enough to spar or hunt with me.

I couldn't escape it, that terrible feeling that had weaseled its way into every inch of my body. And I resented it.

My inner turmoil had distracted me from reality, as I was pulled from my thoughts by the burning sensation of Jasper's gaze on my face.

I hesitated in meeting his gaze, doing my best to conceal whatever emotions might reveal themselves in my own. I took in his expression, the intricate details of his face as the orange colors cast from the setting sun made his face almost glow.

For a man so adept at killing, his golden eyes were remarkably soft as he studied me. So gentle, it was a look I hadn't thought possible for a person as damaged as myself.

An unspoken question hung in the air around him, and I waited for him to ask it, unsure of what he could possibly say.

"Do you ever regret it?" he asked, voice so delicate and sincere I could only blink for a moment in response. I had never heard him so... kind. I gave him a confused look, and he elaborated.

"Coming here, agreeing to the treaty, I mean. Do you regret it at all?" He had crossed his arms, his weight shifted to one leg, and I realized he was embarrassed by asking such a personal question. It had taken quite the effort.

I didn't try to fight it this time as my face softened at the realization, turning to look back at the now dark sky. Trying to put my scattered thoughts into words. His perfect face wasn't helping.

"No, well, I wouldn't really use the word regret," I said hesitantly, brow furrowing in frustration as I tried to explain myself, "I had made up my mind about coming here before I even knew your diet, and even without it, my goal wouldn't have changed. I'm trying to see it as though the treaty and diet are just extra obstacles in my way of getting to that goal.

Don't get me wrong... it really sucks. I mean, I literally went from thinking I would combust in the sunlight to finding out all I did was sparkle like a damn disco ball within a matter of hours. How do you handle that? How do you handle any of this?" I asked as I gestured to the world around me, stealing a glance back at him, hoping I hadn't put a foot in my mouth, that he understood.

He gave me a sad, knowing smile, a look of understanding. After a moment, I continued. I spit the words out bitterly.

"I guess I can't really complain, considering how different the world seems now compared to before. I knew nothing outside of what Riley had so carefully painted for me, whispered in my ear. I have no recollection of the world as a human and only a year's worth of death and lies to show for it. So I guess this is like paradise in comparison."

He stood there for a moment, unmoving, and I couldn't stand to watch. My mind eating me alive with regret that I had shared so much. It was like he had pulled the drain from a tub, all of my secrets and frustrations I had been holding inside spewing out. But I couldn't help it, and I wasn't finished.

"Yet, part of me hates this. This... way of life. I know it's noble and saintly or whatever to save humans, but I cannot deny that the whole act feels wrong. I feel it in my bones, the very core of my being. Like I was made to be this monster, full of violence and the desire to kill. I should be repulsed by my actions and desires, yet I feel nothing. It's my normal, what I know. Maybe it'll take me a few years, or even centuries, to see it differently. But not now. Not with Riley somewhere out there, raining chaos down upon the world. Maybe not ever."

I hadn't realized how angry I had become until I was hit with a wave of faux emotions, Jasper coating me in layers of calm and understanding. I wrapped my arms around myself in a futile attempt to shield myself from the vulnerability I felt at sharing such thoughts. Why had I done such a thing? Why had he even asked?

He studied me for a long moment, the weight of his gaze heavy over me as I waited for him to speak.

"It's been nearly six decades since I joined this coven," he said, his voice thick with an emotion that took a moment for me to figure out was disappointment, "and I have felt just as much like a letdown now as I did then. Alice and Michael took easily to the change, eager to adapt. I, on the other hand, have rebelled more times than I care to count."

My eyes widened in surprise at the revelation, confused as to why he would ever share something like this with me, this first little glimpse into his past. I was eager to know more, and I wasn't about to let this opportunity to be nosy go to waste.

"Why did you stay then?" I didn't bother hiding the curiosity that clouded my voice. He gave me another small smile then, bittersweet. So many hidden emotions and thoughts swam in his eyes I hadn't the slightest idea to what he was thinking. He looked away at the question, focusing on the trees ahead of him as he answered.

"If I hadn't trusted Alice so strongly, they would have never gotten me to leave that diner they found me in. But the future she promised she had seen for me was too great not to go after. How could I not at least try to find this happiness that was promised? I thought it had been too good to be true," he said slowly, the memories seemingly flashing through his eyes as he spoke, his tone full of nostalgia. He looked back at me then, a pause as he studied me thoughtfully.

"Fifty-seven years later and I'm still holding tight to that promise, still hoping she was right," he said, and the look in his eye was so intense I forced myself to look away. It was a lot to process.

We sat in silence for a little while longer, each taking in the new facts about one another. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, just a mutual silence we both found peace in.

As the light of the sunset had completely disappeared and total darkness crept through the trees we finally moved again. Not half a mile from the Cullen home.

I felt lighter, I realized. The weight of the thoughts that had haunted me these last weeks was no longer heavy on my mind, and it felt good to have a better understanding of Jasper.

It was nice to have a person to confide in. I hoped he felt the same.

Ten minutes later we had almost reached the treeline, and I took a moment to study the mansion beyond the forest.

Lights from within the many glass walls illuminated the figures within, silhouettes moving gracefully about from room to room.

Oblivious to the world beyond their haven.

It was moments like this, from the outside looking in, did I remember what I was. How vastly different my upbringing was to the prime and polished individuals playing house ahead of me.

Besides the far from friendly foot Jasper and I had first gotten off, the hardest part of being around the Cullens was trying to normalize the way they pretended to be human.

They made it look so easy and flawless as if they themselves didn't experience the same animalistic instincts that drove my every action. The clothes, human mannerisms, the mingling with mortals.

I couldn't have been more different from them.

How could I expect them to understand, to relate, when they had never received a single bite outside of being turned. Knew nothing about how venom burned during the transition, but each time after it never became easier or less painful. The burn was second nature to me now.

Every visible inch of my body was covered in scars, while theirs were smooth and flawless like marble. My bones ached with the desire to fight, as theirs trembled at the slightest whisper of a threat. I had been born into this world with an insatiable appetite for destruction while they had been born with the fear of a god in their hearts, begging for mercy for their sins.

Jasper must have caught on to the emotions I felt because I was pulled out of my spiraling thoughts by the sudden touch of his hand on my arm. The light touch sent a jolt through me once more, and I looked to him expectantly.

The look on his face was all I needed to be reminded that I wasn't alone, his eyes filled with silent understanding.

I gave him a small smile, and he returned it. A light wave of reassurance coated me like a blanket. I was grateful for it. It grounded me.

I reminded myself that this was only temporary- the diet, the bizarre lifestyle. I had a goal in mind, an agenda. Once I had completed my part of the bargain, I would be on my merry way to live and destroy as I pleased.

But even that thought sent a thud through my hollow chest, the idea of leaving was harder to think about now that I had grown used to this new way of life.

There was more than just a deal on the table. I had grown fond of my newfound companions, and I knew that deep down I wouldn't be leaving here alone.

Or if I would be leaving here at all once my deeds were done, Riley nothing more than ash on the wind.

My mood was somewhat lifted as we crossed through the treeline, stepping for the first time in hours into the open yard. Jasper led a few steps ahead of me, his shoulders tensing up in the way I had noticed him do each time we returned to reality.

But this time it was different, each step he took closer to the glass mansion he grew stiffer until finally, he halted so suddenly I nearly ran into him. He caught me by the arm, his grip firm and tighter than he had ever touched me, and it took everything in me to keep my mind from reverting to instinct and attacking him for it.

He was like stone, frozen in place, listening. I tried to do the same, straining to hear whatever had startled him but failing to pick up on anything other than the sounds he made. A growl emitted from his chest, and I could do nothing as I instinctually shrunk back away from him at the horrible sound.

Fear seeped into my bones, and his grip only grew tighter.

"What is it?" I bit out, panicked, eyes darting every which way as I tried to find whatever threat he detected. As if it would jump out clear as day.

"Something's happened," he said, voice so dangerously low it sent a chill down my spine. I hadn't heard that tone since the night I had taunted him.

I looked at the house ahead of us, mere yards away, when I finally noticed it. My mind clearing for the shortest of moments to piece it all together. How had I not noticed?

All of the Cullens except Edward were in the living room as they had been when we left, yet not a single one of them moved. Each frozen like a statue with looks of terror and worry on their faces. Jasper had paused so suddenly not because he had heard them, but because he had felt them. The fear.

Jasper didn't remove his grip on my arm, the touch keeping me planted on the ground, in reality as my mind tried to spin out of control. What happened? Was it Riley? Had someone died? Where was Edward?

My mind never ceased in its chaos as Jasper pulled me up the steps of the back porch and into the home.

Something just short of hysteria erupted as soon as the empath crossed the threshold, forcing such a strong wave of calm throughout the room there was little more I could do than to grip his shoulder in an attempt to keep from falling on my knees.

Rosalie's enraged face was the last thing I saw before she sent a vase of Esme's beautiful jasmine flowers flying right at me.

I could do nothing but shield my face from the glass with my hand, the vase shattering into a million tiny pieces as it made impact with my hard body. Water doused my head, soaking my hair.

A growl ripped out of my throat so loudly it could have been heard for miles, I was furious.

She shrunk back in terror, yet regained her ground not a second later as she growled back, eyes alight at the fact she had hit her target.

Oh, she didn't have the slightest clue as to who she was messing with.

Before anyone could react or restrain either one of us, she lunged across the room, hands aimed for my throat.

Jasper reached out to try and block her but he was too late, and I was too quick. I collided with the blonde woman so hard I felt something crack.

This was _so_ not how I had planned on spending my Friday night.


End file.
